Unchained
by Leviathan54
Summary: The hardship of war has never been easy to deal with for a young rider and his dragoness. On the board of Talita, Eragon and Saphira do their best to deal with loneliness, longing for loved ones and the world they may never come back to. The journey would turn out to be the biggest challenge they may have ever faced that would change their bond forever.
1. Chapter 1

The hardship of war has never been easy to deal with. Not for a young rider and his dragoness. One could think after 2 years of fighting, sacrificing things they cared about the most and defeating the ultimate enemy of all races in Alagaesia, they would have been able to find peace and happiness finally. However, fate usually has other plans for them. On the board of Talita, Eragon and Saphira do their best to deal with loneliness, longing for loved ones and the world they may never come back to. The journey would turn out to be the biggest challenge they have ever faced.

Chapter 1

Rays of light slipped through the Talita's windows, waking Eragon from his meditation. He resisted the urge to wake from his slumber, considering there was no mortal threat lurking in the background, his mind tried to convince him otherwise.

"_Eh… I shan't spend the entire day in bed…"_

With that thought, he gently probed Saphira's mind, finding her still. _"No one would bother sleeping dragon,"_ he thought with a smirk. _"I'll give her a few minutes; she deserves it."_

Today was a good time to create the plans and daily schedules for the coming journey into the unknown. 'The sooner this matter is dealt with, the better', as the Eldunarii and Elves said. Eragon knew that it would take weeks or months of traveling before reaching their destination, so he thought it would be best to prepare for challenges this wild land may have.

Eragon changed his clothes, attached his sword to his belt, grabbed an apple to eat, and headed for the deck of the Talita. While he was getting closer to the staircase his hand moved over plant-themed decorations covering each wall that displayed the trees and plants native to Du Weldenvarden. The wood texture felt like the cloth made of luxurious fabric that was inviting to the touch. Dim light made interior feel like he was back in Ellesmera relaxing in his house after tough training with Master Oromis. The gentle sways of the ship and smell of the wood reminded him of ancient trees. If he closed his eyes, he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

After a moment he reached his destination. He breathed in a deep lungful of the clean salty air and felt the fresh breeze on his face as he stepped outside on the deck of the Talita. The weather was perfect - not too warm, not too cold, with a few clouds here and there in the sky. The aura filled him with optimism. He noticed elves already on their feet taking care of their duties around the ship. Each of them greeted him in an elvish fashion which he responded to in kind. Then, his eyes quickly found his partner-of-mind-and-heart at the quarterdeck sleeping peacefully.

Her sapphire scales shined like diamonds under the sun; it always was a breath-taking view for him. Her sharp claws, long tail and neck, muscular and slim body made her the most beautiful member of her kind in his eyes.

"_Even though I've seen this so many times, it always amazes me..." _

He stood there admiring his dragoness for a few moments before his mind returned to more problematic matters. It had been a few days since they departed from Alagaesia and since then neither of them had brought up the subject about Arya or Firnen. He assumed she would not have taken the separation from the green dragon lightly, but so far she seemed to be doing well.

"_She was really fond of him. They were inseparable before departure…" _His train of thought was stopped by the arrival of Blodhgarm.

When he saw Eragon he greeted, touching his lips with 2 fingers. ""Shadeslayer, are you ready to discuss our course of action for the near future?"

Even after the death of Galbatorix, these lands were dangerous. Eragon still remembered the encounter with the Fanghurs during the trip to Az Ragni. If he had been separated from Saphira during that attack, he wasn't sure if he could have escaped without a scratch. After all, the place they were going to may have even more powerful creatures.

"Certainly Blodhgarm, give me a moment. I need to wake up Saphira from her beauty sleep…" The elf only grinned in a response, showing off his fangs. Eragon walked to her head and looked down at her. She looked so peaceful that he regretted waking her up, but their duties could not be neglected. He kneeled in front of her and start rubbing the brow above her eyes gently while his other hand explored her head. Her triangular head was almost as big as his torso and head put together. Soon his palm moved over a slightly inwardly curved horn stuck out from the back of her skull and went down her neck. He reached the nape of the dragoness that was covered by spikes making it look like a hedgehog's back. It provided protection that had been tested every time she fought with Thorn. _"All in all, nature is the best designer,"_ he thought. On the sides of her head was the part of her body that Eragon was only able to describe as very pointy ears coming out from right below her horns. After a moment he noticed her eyes twitching in sleep.

"_Perhaps she is having a dream. Well, too bad I have to interrupt it."_

With that thought, he started calling her name out loud but gently. "Saphira…" he tried, not getting any response from the sleeping dragon.

"_Saphira, it's time to get up. Our friends would like to talk about our plans,"_ he spoke in her mind, trying to wake her up that way. Saphira only grunted and moved her head away from him. _"Alright, what was her ticklish spot around the head… Aha!" _He started gently rubbing his fingers over the scales around her ears, his fingertips gliding in the grooves between the scales. She stirred a bit, and after a brief moment, her mind reconnected with his own. Eragon wrapped his mind around her in a hug, allowing her warmth to envelop his mind. _"Good morning, sleepy head."_ He grinned playfully. She turned her head sluggishly towards Eragon and looked at him with her sapphire eyes.

"_Good morning, Little One," _she replied while nuzzling his cheek, allowing silence to provide a small pause, savouring the small moment. "_I'm not that sleepy," _she added quietly_._

"_I beg to differ. It's almost midday and it took me awhile to wake you up." _Eragon noticed her moving a bit sluggishly considering they went to bed at a reasonable time. Perhaps, she didn't fall asleep as soon as he left after all. Her tired voice in his mind seemed to confirm that. However, he felt there was no point in bringing that up.

"_Hmph, perhaps I was just tired." _

"_Good morning, both of you." _Their conversation was interrupted by the leader of dragons from the past, Umaroth and their former teacher Glaedr.

"_Good morning, Elbrithil" _Eragon and Saphira greeted the elder dragons_._

"_It's time to discuss our plans for the near future. After all, it is an unknown land and we have no idea what to expect." Umaroth said._

"_Elbrithil, may I have breakfast first? I am quite hungry."_

"_Unfortunately not. First we need to deal with this matter, then you may hunt Bjartskular." _Glaedr replied.

"_Of course."_

"_I'll come with you," _Eragon said privately. Saphira hummed in response.

"_I really feel like hunting a deer…" _she murmured back to him.

"_Haha, you'll catch one soon. Come on, let's get going."_ With that said, Eragon stepped back giving Saphira some space.

He watched his dragoness rising from her spot and start stretching her body like a cat. She arched her spine into a bow, pushing her weight onto her muscular hind legs, the long tail swinging in each direction and wings spread to each side surpassing the width of the ship. Eragon could feel Saphira's satisfaction in their bond. It was her morning ritual, it's a similar situation to people who have to wash their face in the morning, otherwise, they wouldn't be fully awake. She turned around carefully. The memory of pushing crates over the railing with her tail was still fresh, thus the dragoness paid attention while turning her long body around. By the time Saphira finished her morning stretching she caught her rider's eyes still attached to her blue scales, transfixed on her.

"_Eragon? You're starting at me,"_ she said in a neutral voice.

"_Oh, sorry,"_ he replied abashedly. "Let's go"

Eragon and Saphira settled down next to the table where the elves had already gathered, while the dragoness and her rider were talking. Eragon noticed a map of Alagaesia laying on the table with a marked position of the Talita. However, soon enough it would be useless because lands in the east were just white spots. There were also a few books, a sheet of paper and cartography tools. _"It seems finding a new home for the dragon riders is not the only goal,"_ Eragon thought and Saphira shared his view. Nearby stood Blodgharm, who was ready to begin.

"Umaroth-elda, Saphira and Eragon," he began addressing everyone.

"Our main goal is to find new settlements for the next generation of dragon riders. However, there is not a lot of information about the place we're going to. We are explorers of this new land."

"What do we know?" Eragon asked looking at the eastern side of Alagaesia map.

"_The dragon riders' and elves' records told about a land significantly bigger than Alageasia itself. Many believed the Edda river reaches an ocean coast in the far east. We can assume plants and animals would be the same as the fauna and flora here, but the further we go, the less recognisable the environment may be,"_ Umaroth chimed in.

Saphira could sense the question that was forming in Eragon's mind before he asked it.

"Why do we know so little about it? Someone has to live in that region. It's hard to believe there are no humans, nor elves, nor dwarves."

"_Before the Fall, the council was planning to send an expedition to that region trying to answer the same question. However, the rise of Galbatorix and his Forsworn came before the plan could be executed…" _the elder dragon finished with a tone of grief in his voice.

Blodgharm decided to add his thoughts about the matter. "Our records from Ellesmera tell neither Elven Kingdom, Broddring Empire, or Dwarves have established any contact with people who may have lived there for the last several hundreds of years. It is not quite reassuring."

Eragon sensed conclusions forming in the dragoness' mind. _"So… the place we're going to could be a wasteland after all… If the plants and prey are similar there, and with proper climate… there should have been someone living there in large groups. Sooner or later they would have started exploring the area..." _The rider focused on Saphira's feelings during her internal speech and everything else became quiet, pushed into the background. While she was speaking Eragon could feel her tiredness emitting from their bond. Meanwhile, she continued _"… so we may travel for a long time, sailing further and further away from Alagaesia looking for a suitable place to settle down… and find nothing good enough..."_ Saphira's voice gradually became quieter as she continued. Then Eragon reached towards her with his mind in private. _"Saphira, my dear, are you alright_?" he said softly, then touched her arm. _"You're tired."_

She looked back at him like she was dazed. "_Yes… I… I am alright. I might have slept too little, but I will be fine…" _She muttered back to him absentmindedly_. _Eragon felt sympathetic for the poor dragoness, she would never usually admit that she was tired, certainly not openly.

_"We'll go to bed earlier today and make sure you have a nice deer to eat_," he finished, hugging her mind warmly.

It seemed the dragons and Blodgharm hadn't been paying attention to Saphira's behaviour. However, one golden Eldunari who knew her very well noticed that her state was quite unusual. She had never been like this in all the time he had been training her. He decided to keep an eye on her for now. Then he returned his focus to the discussion and sensed her rider's frustration, that was reflected in a simple question; getting straight to the point of the meeting.

"What should we do then?"

Glaedr had been contemplating this very question ever since he decided to leave Alagaesia, so he chose to suggest his ideas.

"_My idea is you and Saphira will patrol the nearby area Talita and report anything you find interesting or that may be important to the mission. During those flights you will try to memorise the landscape__,__ so the elves can start on the cartography for the new land. The Talita will continue sailing down the river and you'll __come__ back on board for the night after patrols. Your daily schedule will include magic training and mind shielding. Blodgharm and I will lead these lessons."_ The elf bowed slightly in response_. "All in all, we do not know if magic users live there and you both can't be caught by surprise like you were during an encounter with Fanghurs. Creatures with similar abilities may live there. Are there any questions?"_

"What should we do if we encounter the natives?" Eragon asked. He knew breaking the ice with locals wouldn't be easy with a massive dragon behind his back.

Umaroth found Glaedr's plan to be reasonable enough, so he sent a thought of approval to his friend and then replied to the young rider. _"If you sense humans, dwarves or any sentient creatures, we should observe them from distance before we decide whether or not we should reveal ourselves. However, we should avoid making any contact before we find a place to secure the dragon eggs." _

"_Is there anything Saphira should be worried about?"_ Eragon asked in a slightly concerned voice.

"_There are very few things that could threaten a dragon, Little one. However, I shall be cautious as always." _He could feel Saphira would protect him whatever the fates would throw at them.

"I do believe there is one other thing to consider as well," Blodgharm interrupted. "The real problem that may arise when we find the place for the new dragon riders order is the distance." Eragon never thought about that particular issue, because Saphira was able to fly for a long time and cover great distances relatively quickly. On the other hand, they were no longer not in Alagaesia and had yet to find perfect place to settle down. "The issue is to find a place isolated and far enough away from Alagesia so the dragons could flourish peacefully, but close enough, so the dragon riders would not have to spend a month or longer traveling back and forth between the new sanctuary and Alagaesia."

"_That's a good point. I am afraid I cannot give an ideal solution to this matter."_ Umaroth said deep in thought_. "… perhaps the answer will be clear once we reach our goal."_

"_Of course," _both the dragoness and the rider replied_._

"_Alright, as soon as Saphira has breakfast you'll start your first patrol_," Umaroth addressed the pair. With that, the meeting was finished.

Eragon watched Blodgharm return to his duties leaving him, leaving Saphira and the Eldunari alone. The rider observed him walking away and after a moment he turned to his dragoness. "Alright, give me a moment, I'll grab your saddle and we can go." He noticed that she was not listening and was looking towards the horizon. He glanced that way, but there was nothing in the sky. A bit confused he reached for her in his mind.

"_Saphira, did you hear me?"_ She jerked her head like she was startled by something. Her voice seemed as though it were in a fog.

"_I am sorry, Little One. What did you say?" _Hereyes were looking at him, but like she was staring straight through him.

"_I said I was going to bring your saddle__,__ so we can go on the patrol that Glaedr mentioned"._

"_Oh… I'll wait here then." _Eragoncould feel embarrassment coming from his partner. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable; a proper breakfast will do well for her.

After a moment he added in a gentle voice._ "After we are done here, a full breakfast will put you on your feet."_ The rider smiled. In response, Saphira sent him feelings of gratitude. "I'll be right back."

Eragon headed to a nearby storage box were Saphira's saddle was being kept. They decided to bring both types of saddles, but for this expedition, the best-suited one was designed for combat and maneuverability. It was pretty simple to build, but it fulfilled its role entirely. From an outsider's perspective the saddle looked like the pile of straps that had no purpouse, but it made sure the rider would not fall off during extreme manuvers. Eragon grabbed it with firmly as his muscles compensated the additional weight. The rider felt the rough texture of leather under his hand, reminding him that the saddle had seen its fair share of his and the dragoness' adventures; so far it had yet to fail them. However, Saphira mentioned to him a few times that they should get prettier one in the future.

Turning back, he saw Saphira already laying down and waiting for him. He carried the saddle and harness to the base of her neck, reaching up to put it on her. Thankfully, his task wasn't too troublesome, because Saphira's nape was at the height of his chest whilst she was lying down. Eragon adjusted the saddle on the back of her neck, carefully attaching the straps into the right positions around the spikes that adorned her back.

_"Saphira, stand up, please," _he asked. With a mental sigh, the dragoness stood up, the rest of the unattached straps dangling around the sides of her body. Saphira extended her wings subconsciously to allow him to attach the harness straps, but in his hurry, the arm of the wing collided with his head, bumping it forward into the crook above her shoulder. Saphira felt the spark of pain in their bond, her worried eyes turning to look down at Eragon.

"_Don't worry, I'm just clumsy,"_ he reassured, answering her unspoken question. Eragon attached the rest of the straps around her chest, the harness tightening with each strap. He could feel her gaze as she watched him working attentively. Once again, he went around every strap, checking the tightness whilst he lightly caressed her neck with his free hand, hoping to soothe his partner's nerves from the events of the morning. After some time, he heard the pleased rumble from the chest of Saphira, forcing a smile to his face.

"Okay, we can fly," he announced, turning to face her dazzling eyes once more.

"_Go ahead. I'm ready," _she replied in a more cheerful voice and bumped her nose at his shoulder, urging him to climb into the saddle. She lowered her chest to let him climb on. Eragon attached Brisingr to the saddle and then with a learned move he climbed her and on top of it. Quickly, he tightened the straps on his leg.

"_Let's go!"_ he said cheerfully. He felt the dragoness' muscles tense and in the blink of an eye she pushed herself into the air using her hind legs, and her wings starting to swing powerfully as they fought against gravity. After a moment she reached her cruising altitude and headed further towards the plains.

The landscape below them was indistinguishable and lacked any points of interest except for the nearby Edda river. Further in the north, a forest could be seen. Eragon wasn't sure if it belonged to Du Weldenvarden or if it was a completely different place. The lack of any natural barriers also contributed to the wind in this region. He looked around before he spoke to Saphira.

"_What do you think about this place?" _

"_Wherever I look I can see only grassland mixed with small areas with trees. There is the forest up north too," _the dragoness replied with a dry voice.

"_We can go there. There must be plenty of animals you could hunt." _

"_Unfortunately, it's too far to go there in a reasonable time. We can't fly too far from Talita, Little One." _Her words were true considering the forest was barely visible on the horizon.

With slight resignation in his voice Eragon replied. _"Well, we can try to find big prey further down the river. Every animal needs to drink." _

With that said, Saphira changed her course to follow the general direction of the river, while Eragon was checking the nearby vicinity with his magic. He also didn't forget about the other task they were given, gathering information about the land, so that maps could be drawn. What he could see only confirmed Saphira's observation. Most animals he spotted were small ones such as hares. It may suffice for a human, but not for his dragoness. _"Perhaps this is the reason why no people live here,"_ Eragon thought. They had been flying in silence for an hour, then the rider shouted in their bond. "_There!_" The herd of fallow deer was at a bank of the river in front of them.

Saphira suddenly drop a few feet as she heard sudden scream in their bond, quickly followed the mental image of the place Eragon sent to her. Humming in thanks she quickened her pace. Saphira spotted seven animals within the herd lead by a large buck. Eragon felt the hunger coming from his dragoness, thus he knew she would approach her prey as fast as possible. She flew around the area to have the sun behind her and began her descent. She dived sharply and gained an outstanding speed. Eragon held the spike in front of him and the landscape below him started to blur while the flowing air became painfully loud. Saphira folded her wings to further increase her velocity. They quickly approached the herd and the rider noticed his dragoness had not yet begun to slow down. _"Saphira! Slow down! You'll miss!" _He felt hesitation in their bond, but he could only watch, believing that nothing could be done at that point. Saphira extended her hind feet to catch the deer like a bird of prey, but at such a speed it was not easy. Eragon felt the air current swaying Saphira sharply_. "Watch out!" _He was about to use a spell to save them when the dragoness surprised him and managed to grab the largest buck in her talons. The rest of the herd turned their head towards the cries of their caught leader before running away.

He felt the adrenaline pumping in his veins, as the dragoness stabilised her flight and turned to follow the herd.

"_Since when have you been an expert of flying Eragon?!"_ Her jaws clasped loudly. _"I have done that hundreds of times in the past!"_ He could feel that he had hurt her pride quite a lot.

"_I was just worried due to your speed that I'd have seen you shattered on the ground split seconds before I'd have shared the same fate!"_

Saphira regained her self-awareness and flooded their bond with her unreadable feelings. The dragoness started to fly slower and slower without a general direction, lost in thoughts.

"_Perhaps you are right, Little One. I'll listen to you next time…"_ Her voice had become quieter.

"_Alright, let's take a break."_

The dragoness came back to the river bank where she dropped her prize before landing. Eragon dismounted and stretched his legs finally. Saphira, on the other hand, turned around without giving him a glance and walked to her food, standing in front of the carcass for a moment. Her tail was hanging low above the ground and her usually, tightly folded wings were loosened on the sides of her body. With a grunt, she laid down and started devouring the deer trying to sate her hunger that had become unbearable after the adrenaline wore off. Eragon found a root to sit on and was watching his dragoness from a distance trying to read the emotions of his partner. _"She is not herself today. She really needs to get some sleep later." _He felt nothing in their bond and he wasn't sure if it was a good sign. Minutes were passing and he noticed Saphira finished her meal. He was about to ask if she is ready to take off, but he was interrupted by Glaedr.

"_Younglings, since you are done with breakfast, let's talk about your patrol schedules."_

"_Yes, Elbrithil," _both dragoness and rider replied in unison, taking them out of their trance.

"_Everyday, after you eat your breakfast in the morning, you will fly around the area where Talita is at the time. You should not fly further than a few hours' range so as not to get lost."_

"_I see," _the dragoness replied.

"_What's my task then?"_

"_As I said earlier, you and Eragon will search the area with your magic and try to memorise everything you can find. After the patrol you will share that knowledge with our cartographer."_

"_Understood."_

"_When you are ready, you shall start the patrol." _Then Eldunari withdraw from their bond. Saphira and Eragon looked at each other for a brief moment, but Saphira shifted her gaze away from him quickly. An uncomfortable silence had set in between them. Eragon decided to break it first.

"Saphira, are you still hungry?" he asked in a warm voice.

"_No, I think I ate enough."_ He knew she could have eaten more than an entire large buck if she had been really hungry, thus this was something new for him. _"Let's not torment her more. We had enough thrills for today."_

"Okay, let's get going." He came up to his partner and quickly climbed on her. He gave her a reassuring pat and they took off heading northeast. On the ground, the carcass of the large deer was left half finished.

…

The patrol fortunately went without any accident, allowing the pair relax a bit. Eragon was sitting focused on Saphira's back, reaching his consciousness as far as possible around them while the dragoness was observing the land in front of them with her sharp eyes. The land below them had not changed much since they had left the Talita except for larger areas of trees here and there and thicker vegetation. They weren't talking a lot, only sharing their observations if they noticed something unusual. After some time Glaedr decided to assist them in searching, though his help didn't change the result of the patrol. After two hours Eragon brought up his remarks about this land.

"_I am not able to sense any signs of human, elven, or dwarven presence, only animals and plants. What does it mean, Glaedr-elda?"_ The rider looked around nervously and his dragoness shared the same concern.

"_This land seems to have enough resources for bipedal races to live. Prey, water, wood. Everything they may have needed." _ Eragon's and Saphira's observations seem to confirm that. Small critters they originally found nearby the river were replaced by bigger and more desirable animals for hunters. There were more trees and that meant easier access to building material for small settlements. Not to mention small lakes they spotted from the air. After a moment golden dragon continued. _"There may be someone or something that drove the people from this land a long time ago and the people who lived here never returned." _ The revelation sends cold shivers down his students' backs. _"We shall be even more cautious from now."_

Soon after the decision was made to come back to the Talita. No one felt comfortable in that place anymore. It took some time to find the ship, which had covered a significant distance during their absence, but after another two hours, it was found. Saphira approached the landing pad upwind lazily and landed carefully. The elves on board observed her with politely concealed admiration. Eragon unbuckled the strips that held his legs and dropped to the ground. The time spent in the saddle didn't do well to his strained muscles considering his shaky step. Suddenly he heard Blodgharm calling him. "Shadeslayer, Bjartskular, we were worried you got lost."

"Don't worry, it just took us longer than we thought to find something to eat for Saphira." The rider replied followed by a grunt from his dragoness.

"I hope the patrol went without any problems at least?"

"That's true, but there is one matter that made us concerned." Before he managed to explain what it was, a large muzzle bumped his arm reminding him that Saphira wants the saddle off her finally. "Apologies, Glaedr or Umaroth can explain in detail what we discovered," he said after asking the old dragons for assistance.

"Of course, talk to me later. There is still one task left from your schedule."

"_Oh right,"_ Eragon thought.

"_Eragon..?"_ Her large sapphire eyes looked at him with a subtle gleam of impatience and tiredness.

"Yes, yes. I'm taking the saddle of now my dear." He received a blink in return.

The process was opposite to what he did this morning and wasn't anything unusual to him. Saphira, on the other hand, moved noticeably sluggish and he had to pat her wing's arm to make her lift them up, so he could unbuckle and remove the strips from her chest. Finally, she laid down and allowed Eragon to take the saddle off and carry it to the storage box. After securing the locker he turned around and found Saphira in the same position with wings unfolded on her sides and her head swaying. He walked up to her silently and grasp her muzzle with his hands. He could feel her warm scales under his touch. Then he started rubbing her nose gently."Saphira, you don't look too well," he said, voicing his concern. _"Maybe we should tell Glaedr to call the mental defense lesson off till you get some sleep." _

She refocused her gaze on him and he could tell in their bond she was considering his offer. However, to his surprise, she declined. _"It sounds tempting, Little One, but I can't neglect our duties…" _He didn't think it was a good decision and he wanted to convince her anyway. Unfortunately, dragon pride had surfaced, and that left no place for discussion. With a deep sigh, Eragon gave up and asked her to follow him.

He approached the furry elf to begin their training. It was decided Eragon and Saphira would fight against Glaedr and Blodgharm during this lesson. The rules were simple: try to break through the others' minds by any means necessary. Without wasting time, they began the fight. At once Saphira and Eragon were pushed by the experienced foes onto the defense, due to their swift and brutal attack. Their opponents had years of practice, thus it would take a lot of effort to push them back. They both felt extreme pressure around their minds. Eragon repeated the same old poem that Master Oromis taught him that had yet to never failed him. Saphira was holding under assault pretty well, focusing on her first successful hunt in the Spine. The key to defending against this attack on the mind was to stay focused on one thing the entire time. The attacker would see only what the defender imagined and wouldn't find any holes to slip through the mental barriers. With their combined strength, they started to push back at Glaedr and Blodgharm by joining their consciousness. The tides of battle turned in their favour, breaking their attackers' mental walls slowly. "_Come on Saphira, we can do it!" _Eragon cheered his partner_._ It seemed the victory was in their grasp. Suddenly, the silence of the battle was interrupted by a loud bang. Blodgharm had hit the metal frame of a storage box.

"_Oh!"_ was the last thing the rider heard from the startled dragoness, before Glaedr struck back and broke through Saphira's defenses like butter. Eragon wasn't able to shield her against their master's assault and soon Glaedr had her in his grasp. After a moment he withdrew from her mind leaving Saphira shocked to the core.

"_Saphira Brightscales, you cannot afford to be distracted during mental battles by background noise," _Glaedr began with an authoritarian tone. _"You, Eragon, did well and I appreciate your attempt to shield Saphira at that moment, though it's unlikely you'd react fast enough to save her. What's more…" _ The blue dragoness knew her teacher was right. She failed her duty as a dragon to protect her rider. If she lost in a real mental battle, Eragon would fall with her as well. This is how Thorn and Murtagh were forced to serve Galbatorix. The boy couldn't stand watching his dragon being tortured and swore loyalty to the tyrant. After he got access to Murtagh mind, nothing was left to protect Thorn's mind. Saphira was certain she was able to protect her partner of mind and heart every time. Today's training session made her question her confidence in that regard… Saphira was deep in thoughts while Eragon was listening to his teacher trying to memorise all tips that were said. Suddenly, Glaedr addressed the blue dragoness.

"_Saphira, what should you do to improve your focus?_" he asked, suspecting his student stopped paying attention. Saphira yelped mentally and Eragon came to assist her, sending her his memories from Glaedr's lecture.

"_I should spend more time focusing on one thing in loud environments…" _

"_And…?"_ Her teacher pressed.

"_And… Get more sleep…"_ she added with an embarrassed voice.

"_Good. Eragon, Saphira, you are free for rest of the day. Be ready to depart tomorrow morning." _With the last word, he withdrew from their minds.

Blodgharm still stood next to them and after a moment spoke up. "I could help you with your training Bjartskular if you wish."

"_Thank you. I'll let you know if I need it."_

"_Certainly. Have a good evening my friends," _he addressed both of them before walking away and leaving Saphira and Eragon alone.

They observed furry elf for a moment then Eragon turned back to his partner. She didn't look great; her beautiful eyes were unfocused and her head swayed from side to side like she was drunk. There was still some time before night fell. The sun was low in the sky painting it yellow and red. _"It would be the best for her to go to sleep." _He touched her mind to get her attention.

"_What would you like to do?" _

"_I don't know… We could do something together."_

"_What would you say about laying down and relaxing for a bit? _

"_That sounds nice, Little One."_

They turned around and walked towards Saphira's sleeping spot. There were some waterproofed mattresses and pillows that fulfilled the role of the dragoness' bedding. It wasn't much, but it was better than sleeping on a wooden board only. Saphira extended her paw to move them around and prepare her bedding, then she walked above them and settled down making a noticeable, content hum. Eragon came to her and sat next to her, leaning on her shoulder. The rider was also tired after the eventful day and welcomed the moment of peace with open arms. His eyes started to close when Saphira's head appeared in his view and landed on his tights. She looked at him with tired eyes with an obvious question and he was happy to answer. He reached out his hand and started to caress her gently above her eyes. The smooth texture of scales felt great under his fingers and soon he started enjoying the little massage as much as the dragoness did. Her eyes kept looking at him as he moved one palm to pet her on the top of the long muzzle with slow and gentle strokes, and his other reached to rub her ear carefully. Soon he felt great pleasure coming from Saphira followed by her draconic purr, as her sapphire eyes were closing. It made Eragon smile widely.

After a moment she fell asleep in his arms. The rider leaned forward and pecked her above her eyes and spent with her some more time continuing his caress. When the sun was really low in the sky, Eragon decided to go to bed as well. He used his magic to lift and hold Saphira's head and laid it down on the pillow. He made sure she was comfortable before heading towards his cabin. _"Eragon…"_ He felt the faint voice of the dragoness, but she was still asleep. _"Good night,"_ he replied softly, even though she couldn't hear him. Then he walked towards his cabin to sleep.

**The author's note:**

**Dear Readers,**

**It is the first story I have ever written and I hope you enjoyed it. Let me know if you find grammar or spelling mistakes. I am not a native speaker so help will be appreciated. I am open for feedback so please let me know what you think about the story so far. I can't guarantee regular updates of the story due to the fact University's tasks occupy my free time mostly. However, I'll do my best to finish what I started. I have other 2 chapters written and I'll upload 2nd one when 4th one is ready.**

**You may notice the different size of Saphira. The change was intentional because there was one thing I dislike about dragon sizes in many fantasy stories a lot is the fact dragons usually are gigantic there. It makes really difficult to imagine how dragon moves around and the world reacts to it actually, not to mention such big creatures would not be able to sustain themselves. Therefore Saphira is big enough to carry Eragon and small enough to imagine how she interacts with Eragon and the world around her.**

**Big thanks to my friends, Blue Dragon's Rider** www. fanfiction u/10496088/ **Nikoladies** www. fanfiction u/7469362/Nikolaides **and Mark and ****The Vilified**www. fanfiction u/8177657/ **(****I recommend checking their stories out!****)** **for beta reading and support :)**

**Have a nice day :)**

**EDIT: The edited version of this chapter was uploaded. 11.07.2019 y.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N. Warning. This chapter contains nudity.**

...

Chapter 2

A few days have passed since the meeting with all the important figures during this expedition. Every day was more or less the same for Eragon and Saphira. Waking up, breakfast, going for a patrol and then a mental combat training… One can do repeat daily duties for so long before one becomes restless or burn out. Eragon didn't like to be idle, therefore he asked Glaedr to change their daily routine for other activities as often as possible. In such occasions, he spent time training swordplay with one of the elves or like at this moment reading scrolls were brought on board from Ellesmera's libraries. He was sitting next at table with one of such scrolls during the night. It was a copy from the Doru Areba's archives given to the elves by the Dragon Riders when the order was flourishing. The elves' unhealthy admiration of dragons made them collect all knowledge they could possibly gain. He found a bit reassuring considering those species were fighting in a bloody war a long time ago till his namesake bonded with Bid'Daum. Time can heal wounds from even such a terrible conflict.

However, Eragon didn't choose this particular scroll to catch up with his history education. Saphira's sleeping habit hadn't improved at all despite spending time tucking her to sleep each day. The young rider decided to look for a medical explanation of dragoness' state, something he could have simply overlooked, therefore he went straight to the illness section of the scroll. There were many diseases listed in alphabetical order from something so simple like a cold to organ's failures. Each one had written down symptoms and detailed information about treatment. In the case of the most life-threatening illness, the scroll suggests using magic. Eragon knew how dangerous it was to use the ancient language without a proper understanding of its meaning. Even after fixing the wrong he had done to Elva, he hadn't fully forgiven himself for cursing her unintentionally. Fortunately, these scrolls contained spells needed to save a patient's life: it will be helpful when new dragons will start hatching certainly.

"_It will take a while to read it…"_ Eragon thought, but he knew it was worth a shot. The time passed and the young man was reading through the scrolls. There were moments he believed he found the reason for Saphira's condition like restless leg syndrome or sleep apnea but after longer contemplation her rejected them. It was already pretty late in the night and he was losing focus. With long exhale he leaned back on the chair feeling a bit bitter. "What's wrong with you, my Saphira…" saying out loud… He went back to reading and at one point he groaned loudly and rubbed his palms from the top of the face downwards trying to push back his tiredness. His tedious reading lessons with Brom were recalled to his mind.

"_Perhaps, the cause of her condition is not physical."_ the deep voice of Glaedr broke the silence in his mind. Eragon gasped being caught by his master. _"You are not the only one who is worried."_

"_I don't know what that could be. We don't have any secrets between us… "_ his words said one thing, but a tone of uncertainty in his voice proved otherwise.

Glaedr hummed thinking and after a moment he decided to bring up the matter that Eragon and Saphira had been avoiding since the departure from Alagaesia.

"_Eragon, please tell me what was her relationship with Firnen like."_

The rider's pupils widened caught off guard. He actually didn't pay much attention to the affairs between the green male and the blue dragoness, thinking it would have been tactlessly to ask her about it. After a moment he spoke.

"_She was surprisingly really fond of him… Saphira spent most of the free time with him when she didn't have to be at my side."_ He trailed off for a few seconds. _"I'm not sure what to think about it. Since the courting flight, I had hardly ever talked with him, nor had Saphira talked about him with me"_ he admitted with sudden realization.

Eragon remembered that day very well. The excitement to see the first free dragon after the fall of Galbatorix in Alagaesia filled his and his dragoness' veins. When he realized who was in the saddle of the green dragon, he couldn't have been happier. It'd been a long time since he saw Arya and he was bursting with energy with the prospect of meeting her again. After the introduction what happened next went really fast. Soon, dragons were circling each other, tails snapping in each direction and both dragons were growling deep from their chests He raised a brow at what was unfolding in front of him, but Arya didn't seem to be concerned at all. He reached Saphira's mind and what he found almost made him step back. The memories of what happened between her and Glaedr still lingered in his mind fearing the history would repeat itself. He wasn't familiar with dragon courtship fully, but he knew something was wrong here. However, after Saphira asked an unspoken question, he shoved his doubts back embarrassed. _"Do what you must."_ he said and the gust hit his face. Dragons climbed the sky in the ritual almost as old as the world itself. After a moment he became a silent observer of his dragoness making love… That thought left him with a bitter taste; his fists were clenching as eyes darted a glance up the sky. His mind claimed this was how it is supposed to be, but his heart… Then the gentle touch on his arm distracted him as his eyes met green ones…

"_Eragon?"_ His flashback was interrupted by the golden Eldunari. _"Are you alright?"_

"_Yes… I was just lost in thoughts…" _

"_What were you thinking about?" _

With hesitation in his voice, he started _"I recalled to my mind Saphira's and Firnen's courting ritual."_

"_That may shed some light on the matter, please continue." _

"_Considering what happened between You, Glaedr-elda and her…" _That made the elderly dragon react with a knowing grunt.

"… _I was concerned that she attempted to court that young male after just a few minutes. I wasn't even able to start talking with Arya properly before they were standing in front of each other in a combat stance"_ his bitterness became more present as he talked.

"_I didn't want to deny her happiness, but I didn't want her to make a mistake either." _He trailed off for a bit. He felt his heart and mind becoming more and more confused thinking about that event.

"_What happened next?"_ Glaedr hastened.

"_I asked her if she was sure about it. In response… "_ he found it difficult to say what her reply was.

"_In response, she said she hadn't been that sure in her life before, but I also felt…"_ The Eldunari felt Eragon's hesitation and waited for his student to answer, fully patiently.

"…_her burning lust…" _he finished in a quiet voice.

The silence was between them for a long moment. Eragon felt ashamed for mentioning that, though some part of him urged him to say it out loud. He lowered his gaze and stared at the scroll in front of him. He didn't know what Glaedr would think about it and waited for his reaction. A deep sigh was the first thought he heard before Eldunari spoke up.

"_It is really similar to what happened to Saphira when she tried to court me. While I was talking about our ancestors past, I felt it too from her. It became more and more pronounced the longer we spent at the Stone of Broken Eggs." _Eragon sensed the elderly dragon wasn't comfortable recalling that either.

"_When dragons are young adults, they're usually really impulsive in their choice of partners and desire clouds their minds_…" Glaedr finished with a distant voice.

Eragon took a few seconds to figure out where his master's train of thoughts was going. It wasn't easy without rest for so many hours.

"_Do you assume Saphira is starting to realize Firnen might not have been the one she was looking for?" _The rider added in a concerned tonne.

"_There is such a possibility… But it can't be the only reason. Like many things that happen in our lives the outcome is caused by many, at first glance insignificant, events." _

"_I guess it's not a wise idea to ask her about the relationship with Firnen up front, is it?."_

"_No, it's not. To put that mildly."_ He replied sharply. "_It's a delicate matter, so be careful. Maybe she will talk about it when she is ready. For now, take care of her. She may need you now more than ever before." _

"_I'll do my best."_

"_Sure you will, Eragon. Now go to bed before you blackout in the chair." _He said in a more cheerful tone to brighten Eragon's mood up. Eragon tensed at that tease.

"_O… Of course, Glaedr-elda. Good night," _he replied sheepishly.

"_Good night" _and thenEldunari withdraw from his mind chuckling.

With a deep sigh, the rider got up from the table giving a last glance at the scroll he had been reading, there was much more left to read.

…..

The morning started with a well-known routine for Eragon. After he sorted himself out he went to the quarterdeck of Talita to wake Saphira up. When he reached his destination he took a moment to look around. The Edda River turned northeast and its bank became wider and wider for the past few days, but it wasn't the only change the expedition noticed. Flat meadows with thin foliage were replaced by hills and old pine forest.

"_Maybe we will reach a mountain range soon. It will be perfect for our needs" _he thought. He turned his eyes to his dragoness with an analytical gaze. The scales that had been once shining like diamonds, were now dull. Her wing membranes were covered by dust. He started walking to the sleeping Saphira when an idea appeared in his mind and he turned to Glaedr to bring that up for him.

"_Good morning, Glaedr-elda." _

"_Good morning, I hope you rested well enough. I can feel you're eager to ask about something, so go ahead."_

"_Can we take a break during our patrol and go for a swim with Saphira? I think a bath will do her well."_

"_Certainly!" the _Eldunari growled with approval.

By the time conversation was over, he stood next to the dragoness' head and then kneeled. Eragon noticed her eyes were twitching under her eyelids and her ears made subtle jerking movement. He sighed deeply.

"Hello, my Dear. Did you sleep well?" he started with a soothing voice. The dragoness opened her eyes widely as soon as she heard his voice and then her eyelids dropped heavily.

"_Eragon… I think…" _she closed her eyes tightly and then opened them. _"…I slept longer than… yesterday." _

She finally said_, _avoiding answering the question directly.

"I'm glad to hear it" he ran his palm on her sensitive nose gently earning a glance straight into his eyes from Saphira.

"_You know… I was thinking that we may take a break in the middle of the patrol and go swimming in the first lake we can find in the nearby area," _he said sending encouraging thoughts to her.

"_But… What would Glaedr or… Umaroth say about it?"_

"_Don't worry, Glaedr allowed it. We could relax for a bit"_ Eragon finished and reached his hand to scratch her eyebrow, that earned him faint hum of pleasure from the dragoness.

"_Give a moment, I need to get a few things and we can go."_

Eragon stood up and went to his room. He felt the dragoness' gaze before he disappeared below the deck. He walked to his chamber and grabbed a few things. Dry clothes for himself in case the ones he had on him got wet, and towels to wash and polish Saphira's scales. As far as he had remembered she had loved when he took his time to clean her scales carefully. It was a long and tiring process, but her draconic purring was enough of a reward for him. Eragon packed everything into his backpack and went back to Saphira. She was at the same spot waiting, her eyes snapped to him as soon as he took a step on the deck. He smiled at her broadly, but to his regret, she broke eye contact quickly.

"_Let's put the saddle on and we're good to leave" _

"_Yes, Little One."_ He grabbed the saddle and after a few minutes longer than it usually took for attaching all the straps, they were ready to go. Saphira swayed on her legs like she was carrying a too heavy payload and with noticeable struggle took of from Talita. Eragon didn't say anything about it, avoiding adding more things for her to be stressed about. However, her troubled feelings reached him anyway. They were flying for a while to the northeast spotting a few lakes in the distance that might be perfect for a little break later on. The pair flew in silence maintaining contact with their minds, though Saphira had troubles to hold it all the time. Eragon hesitated for a brief moment before he spoke up softly to her mind.

"_Saphira, you can slow down if you need to. We aren't in a hurry…"_ he finished while rubbing her neck.

She was silent for a few minutes and Eragon could feel her swirling emotions before she withdrew from their bond a bit and then she said _"Alright…" _He rubbed her neck a bit harder in response.

Gradually she was slowing down till her wings were swaying in lazy rhythm, it was enough to keep them in the air. They were getting close to one of the lakes they observed earlier. The rider extended his mind toward it out of curiosity. Nothing seemed to be unusual and he came to the conclusion it may be a good place to rest and wash his Saphira. Apparently, Glaedr thought the same, because he addressed both students.

"_Younglings, you have been in the air for long enough. Go and rest for a bit." _

Eragon felt the faint sign of relief from Saphira and decided to point out the narrow beach at the edge of the water. _"My dear, do you see it?"_.

"_Yes… I do. Do you… want to go there?" _she replied with an anxious voice. Eragon wrapped his mind gently around hers and said:_ "It's a lovely spot. I'll bath you if you don't feel like swimming."_

"_That would be nice…" _she said with a more relaxed tone.

The dragoness started to fly around the middle of the lake losing altitude slowly. At the last turn, Saphira evened the flight and glided gently towards the spot above the beach. Eragon felt her muscles tensing under him preparing for the landing. As soon as she touched the ground the remaining velocity made her run for a few meters. Eragon bounced in the saddle and had to hold the spike in front of him tightly. Her run slowed to a trot and at last, she folded her wings. Eragon patted her neck before stretching his back and saying out loud "Ahh… I don't remember last time we were at a lake". Saphira didn't respond, instead, she was scanning the line of trees with caution. The rider took notice of it while he was removing the straps that held his legs and then addressed the dragoness' concern.

"_Don't worry, there is nothing to worry about nearby." _Then he dismounted Saphira and proceed to take a few items off from the saddlebags and lay them on the ground nearby.

"_I'm not sure about it…" _she darted her eyes around the place and her body was still tense.

Eragon came up to her head quietly and wrapped his right around it. It startled his dragoness, but she gave in her rider's intentions. He reached his other hand to stroke her long muzzle.

"It will be fine, Gleadr will keep an eye on the surroundings._ Won't you, Gleadr-elda?" _

"_Naturally." _

"_I trust you, Little One"._

Eragon smiled at his partner's words and then peck her cheek that sparked pleasure from his dragoness in their link. Then he released her head and she looked at him with her beautiful eyes. He stared for a moment but quickly came back to his senses.

"Would you like to swim or to have a bath or both?

Saphira took a moment to consider all the options before she spoke. _"I think a bath will be enough… we can swim another time" _she replied shyly.

"_Alright, come here. I'll take the saddle off you firstly." _He smiled. After a few minutes, the saddle lied a few meters away on the ground. He returned to his dragoness._ "Ok, I'll take my clothes off first and then join you." _Saphira puffed warm air in his face, turned around and start walking towards the water.

As Eragon took off his shirt and noticed her tail swinging with barely visible excitement powered by her hips bouncing and leaning from side to side with her each step. It caught the rider's attention and his mind found the view… allu… The splash of water took his mind out from daydreaming; Eragon turned his eyes to the side, feeling his cheeks getting warmer and managed to block his emotions and confusion from their bond barely._ "Sigh… I just checked Saphira out, great." _He commented dryly and shooked his head wanting to get rid of the image of her feminine hips…_ "Oh, snap out of it!" _he said out loud this time.

"_Eragon? What are you talking about?" _The rider looked at the dragoness with thoughts flowing in overdrive, trying to come up with an excuse as she tilted her head to the side.

"_Ah, nothing important; I got lost in enjoying the view_." The dragoness' confusion, followed by suspicion flooded their bond. To distract her he continued taking his clothes off as if nothing happened. He could tell she didn't buy his story to some degree, but Eragon hoped his casual behavior would save his little secret.

"_Hhm… I see. Will you… hurry up?" _she replied as she lay down on the bottom of the lake near the shore facing him.

"Coming!" Finally, he took off his shoes and went towards his partner with only underwear on. Saphira was looking at him in silence, her gaze piercing like she wanted to look into his soul. Eragon tried to no pay attention to the dragoness' stare as he carefully entered the water finding it a bit cool, but not so cold to freeze his feet. Thankfully. He came up to her head with a towel in hand.

"_Where shall I begin, Saphira?" _

She took a moment to think and her sapphire eyes darting around his face.

"_My wings, Little One…" _

"Sure! Spread your wings, please". Her large wings spread fully, wider than Talita's width. It was always an impressive view from the ground when Saphira used them to decelerate rapidly before landing. Eragon walked towards the base of the dragoness' neck with towels on his shoulder. He was about to begin climbing, but he stopped to put protection wards on his legs and arms. How sharp Saphira's scales are, he figured out the hard way during their first flight. At last, he sat on her back between each of the wings' joints. "Adurna reisa" he lifted water from the lake and held it nearby, then put one of the towels inside to wet it. _"Sigh. Let's do this"._

He began with wide strokes on her joints getting rid of the layer of dirt and dust from her scales. Then he switched to another towel to finish the process. He also cleaned her back as far as he could reach from his position. Meanwhile, Saphira's head lowered to the shallow water as tension was leaving her body. He climbed down, released the now brownish water from his spell and started the same procedure with her wing arms and palms. Once that was done, he wondered for a moment how to deal with her membranes. Eragon realized he would have to hold it from below to wash it properly. He began cleaning them carefully and slowly, knowing how sensitive they are. A sudden gasp from Saphira only confirmed it. It was almost hypnotizing, feeling the soft and silky membrane under his fingers. Saphira began purring from the sensations coming to her mind. _"Keep going…" _was the only response the dragoness could muster. The rider smiled hearing her purrs. After some time with his arms burning from the effort, he finished cleaning her wings. He stepped back admiring his work; her scales and membranes got their former shine back.

Saphira growled in their bond softly _"Will you clean my back and my tail now…?",_ Eragon felt she hadn't been this relaxed since their expedition began. _"Everything for The Queen of the sky."_ He bowed in an exaggerated fashion making her laugh. He looked up at her with a smirk on his face and could see her head jerking a bit from laughing. Storking the dragoness' vanity a little bit brighten her mood usually and the rider didn't regret taking advantage of it. _"Turn so you'd be parallel to the shore"_ he chased her up and with fake pouting, she did so. Eragon shook his head at her antics with a smirk on his face.

He began from the tip of her tail and then down to the base cleaning and polishing her scales slowly. It must some kind of massage for her he realized. He pushed the towel hard trying to loosen knots of muscles wherever he could find them. The rider enjoyed the feeling of her smooth scales gliding under his fingers and found the bath as relaxing as Saphira did, despite the manual effort he was putting into it. With steady progress, he got closer and closer to her hindquarters where the tail was joined with her hips. He was sitting on top of it reaching as far as he could with his hands without falling down. As soon as he started Saphira's reaction was immediate. She purred even louder than before with subtle growls in between.

"_It must be her sensitive spot," _he thought.

"_Yes… It is…". A faint gasp left his mouth hearing _her as pleased as punch voice reminded him their bond was still open.

"_I'm glad you like it." _He smiled.

"_Very." _

By the time he moved onto her back he felt more knotted muscles under his palm; one of the reasons why she can't sleep perhaps he thought. He was maneuvring between the back spikes, using them as handles. After some time he finished there and climbed down from her base of the neck.

Saphira turned her head and looked at him with a gleam of adoration in her eyes. He smiled widely and said out loud. "Alright, please stand up, so I could wash your underside"

"_Hmm…?"_ lost in thoughts and in the split second called to her mind what her rider asked. _"Wouldn't be better to roll on my back?" _

"_If you want to get your scales muddy, then yes."_

She rolled her eyes. With a grunt, she raised from the sandy bottom of the lake and stretched her spine and limbs. The mud was dripping from her belly in large quantities.

"_Like overgrown cat…" _Eragon chuckled at her behavior_._

"_I heard that, Little One…" _

"I know you did." he patted her shoulder. _"Hold your left front leg for me, please. "_

Saphira did what she was asked. She appreciates the effort and care her rider put in the simple bath. They had many baths like this one whenever they had free time for themselves in the past, but the stress she has been dealing with for the last few days made the whole experience incredibly relaxing. Eragon eased the tension in her muscles she was not aware of, leaving her in the state of bliss. She didn't even register when her partner-of-mind-and-heart asked her about the next front leg and when she held it out for him. Her gaze was unfocused and head swayed to sides. She was tired before coming here and Eragon's delicate touch was lulling her to sleep slowly.

The rider moved on to her belly. The scales were wider and longer there, similar to snakes' ones on their undersides. They were flexible and soft to the touch, allowing the dragoness unrestricted range of movement in the air or on the ground. Saphira felt her rider getting lower and lower towards her hips and couldn't help but croon softly. She felt happiness coming from him and then decided to wrap her mind gently around his one. A moment later she pulled back gently but stayed within his reach inside their bond.

Eragon moved lower down her belly and kneeled between her hind legs. He had to put more pressure on her scales to remove the mud and dirt from there. Dragons' spines have a gentle bow-like curve. As a result, when a dragon lays down, it puts the most of its weight on the chest and underside of its hips. Here it's the less desirable effect of dragons' anatomy. The rider pushed hard into her scales trying to get rid of the dirt that was stuck between her scales. Suddenly, Saphira jerked and yelped in pain. Eragon pulled his hands back in shock and worry. He turned around to face her. She lowered her head towards him.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"he apologized feeling bad for causing her pain

"_It's fine, It's not your fault, Little One"_ she reassured him.

"I can check what's wrong here and heal it" he offered as a way to make up for his mistake, as he looked at the spot that caused her harm.

"_No… I appreciate your concern, but… I will be fine."_

"Are you sure?" Eragon asked in a concerned tone.

"_Yes." _She nodded in human fashion_._

"If you changed your mind, let me know."

"_Of course, just be careful down there." _

He nodded and went back to work paying more attention to the force he put in each stroke. Saphira held her head in the same place for the moment, looking at her companion before she pulled back. She felt her rider started cleaning her thighs. He began at the place where her thigh is connected to her hips and moved the towel down, following the edge of the limb. Soon he pushed into to the crook between her thigh and the side of her main body. A shiver ran through her body from the sensation as a growl left her jaws.

"_Did I stroke too hard?" Eragon asked in worry._

"_No… It's just another… sensitive spot" _

"_Oh, alright."_

Saphira smirked at the rider's obliviousness, puffing smoke through her nostrils. _"He has no idea how sensitive it truly is…" _she thought and made sure it was hidden in their bond. Meanwhile, her partner moved to her inner tights with his careful strokes. It felt more like a teasing massage rather than casual cleaning of scales, but she didn't want to change that. He proceeded to her calf and then feet and repeated the same process on the outer side of her left hind leg. Then he went back to the spot below her and did the same thing on her right leg. When he reached the _sensitive_ spot, another shiver of pleasure ran down Saphira's spine, as she crooned gently. She felt her rider's confusion that made her laugh a bit. It made him even more puzzled. The dragoness heard his quiet "whatever" comment, as he went back to work. Soon her right leg was clean and Eragon took a few steps around her and kneeled beside her rump.

Saphira felt his uncertainty in their bond as well as hers. It the past none of them paid much attention to it, because it was simple cleaning of her scales like anywhere else on her body. Dragons don't feel ashamed of their bodies in general, however being bonded with Eragon made her inherit some part of his concept of privacy. She mustered the remaining confidence that was slipping from her grasps and decided to not overthink it. They are 2 parts of the same soul, there is nothing to be embarrassed about… _"Right…?" _

"_Little One… We've done it before. It's just washing. No need to be embarrassed about it" _she said trying to not make it awkward.

After a moment he replied _"Yeah. You're right". _

With a sigh, he came closer to her groin and then wetted his towel. Saphira raised her tail a little bit to grant him better access. He looked up at her vertical slit covered by scales so small that they could be mistaken for normal human-like flesh from a distance. One could think the slit would have been large considering the dragoness' size, but in reality, it wasn't longer than his palm. Above it, there was another significantly smaller slit covering the , he didn't smell anything unpleasant; it was simply the earthy scent of his dragoness. Except for the mud, the place was relatively clean. To calm down his shaking hands Eragon began further away from her genital slit and tried to focus on the manual part of cleaning. He stroked the scales with precision to avoid another unpleasant surprise like when he had cleaned her lower abdomen. He cleaned the area around her anus without giving it a thought. Inevitably, he was getting closer and closer to her private parts as muscles become more and tenser. He slowed down a little. _"Here goes nothing,"_ he said bracing himself and making sure he sealed off his mind from her. Eragon doubted he could have done this, while Saphira was listening in their bond.

He ran the towel in parallel with her slit. As he observed her soft flesh yielding under his touch, his cheeks started warming up with blood flowing into his face and to another place. His mind became blank, unable to formulate any sensible thoughts. He didn't realize how much time had already passed. After a while, the rider ran his towel across in finishing wipe. Distracted, he put to much pressure and pressed the towel inside her folds accidentally. The tight space made the cloth wrap around his fingers, as the pink and moist flesh of the vent was revealed to his eyes. Saphira grunted and a jolt shook her entire body. Eragon's eyes bulged out and pulled back his hand immediately; the towel fell into the water. He turned around with his face red from blushing and prepared himself for Saphira's wrath. But it never came. She stood still frozen in place. He glanced back at her slowly. She was stiff.

Finally, Eragon decided to break the silence by opening his mind to her again.

"_I'm sorry"_ that was the only words he could think off.

Saphira felt her rider's embarrassment and shame. She tried a few times to reply and at last, she did.

"_It is… nothing. I am not angry at you… " _she said in a shaky voice_._

Eragon took a moment to collect his thoughts and then asked with hesitation in his mental voice, _"Shall I continue?"_

"_Ehm… Yes, please. "_ Saphira's mind was a mess. She tried to assure herself it was just an accident and it's silly to keep worrying about it. He did something like that at least once in the past and it wasn't a big deal. _"So why does it seem to be now?"_ She took a few deep breathes to calm herself down and her fast beating heart. The dragoness focused on her reflection in the water, trying to occupy her mind with something else.

Even though Eragon was the first to break the silence, he was going through similar turmoil.

"_Oh my… I can't believe I was affected in…" _he began. As soon as he looked down towards his groin and he didn't dare to finish his line of thought anymore. He grabbed the towel from the water and reassured himself Saphira was looking in the opposite direction. With shaky hands and the blush disappearing from his face slowly, he reached out towards the underside of the tail. Eragon shook his head, _"I hope nothing else as embarrassing as… that thing will happen today". _

Eragon and Saphira were silent for a quite long time, as the rider was cleaning her tail. Both of them were afraid of touching one another's mind. After another a few minutes, Eragon felt he regained his composure to dare to look into her eyes again, so he decided to move on. However, Saphira didn't look back when he came up to her neck and began polishing her scales there.

She really liked when her companion does that. It reminded the dragoness of carefree times when she was young, held in Eragon's arms listening to his gentle beat of the heart. His hands stroked her neck in the same way. During those times he just talked about everything, plants, animals, teaching her how to speak basically. Each day her understanding of words improved and one day she called him by his name finally_. _Saphira felt very proud of herself back recalled their games of tag or hide and seek…

"_It was the most wonderful moments of my life…" _she thought in longing memories of her childhood calmed her nerves at last.

"_I should… reassure him everything between us is still the same". _She contemplated the idea for a moment. _"One's action speaks more than words"._

She turned her head and looked at him with the corner of her eye. She timed his strokes and when he began another one, she arched her neck putting more pressure on her scales. The dragoness felt a spark of surprise in their bond and, as she continued to twist her neck like a very pleased cat melting due to owner's petting, his relief emerged.

Eragon felt like a heavy weight was removed from his shoulders. He reached out to her mind and brushed it in shy thanks. As he ran the towel across the underside of the neck gently, she purred in a low tone telling him it is fine. The rider doubled his effort to thank her for her forgiveness that eased his troubled mind. As times goes by, his body became more and more relaxed with his mind nudging hers gently and regularly. In exchanged Saphira grabbed him in the bond playfully a few times feeling proud for catching her _prey _so easily_._ Soon Eragon got into the spirit of play and his mind started to wonder. He wasn't sure if it's appropriate considering what happened but… _"Well, it's not like she isn't used to it"_

Saphira felt her rider stepping back to admire his work. After a moment he turned to look at her with a grin on his face.

"_Oh no… I know that grin." _

"Come here, it's time to wash the beautiful muzzle of yours!" he said out loud. Saphira went all shy at his comment surprising herself.

"You look cute when you're shy like this, you know?"

"_Stop… teasing me, Little One"_ her voice was a bit shaken from the effort to regain her composure.

"What? You do have a beautiful muzzle, just stating the fact."

"_Oh. You're unbearable like a hatchling sometimes," _she said in an exaggerated fashion shaking her head, as he saw her pupils shrink a bit.

"You love it" he laughed at her reply. "Come here, before you would decide to be _violent" _

"_Don't tempt me…" _

He could chuckle at it in earnest.

She lowered her head to his chest level waiting for him, as Eragon wetted one of the towels again. He held her muzzle gently with his left hand and pressed the towel to the sensitive tip of her snout and began stroking carefully. It was an incredibly sensitive place and he didn't want to hurt her by accident. He ran the cloth across her muzzle back and forth slowly. Then made circular strokes on the snout paying attention to leave each scale clean and polished. He began to move his hand to the bottom of the lower jaw and without the need to ask Saphira exposed her vulnerable throat to him. Eragon caressed her sensitive spot in wide circular wipes. Soon, the deep hum resonated through her throat and up to the rider's hands. Noticing how much she liked it, he spent a fair amount of time massaging her throat gently. Then her cheeks received the same blissful treatment. As he reached out towards her ears, he noticed Saphira' eyes were locked on him. Something encouraged him to return her gaze. When his eyes met her half-lidded ones, she crooned softly. Then she pushed her snout into him nuzzling his chest. Soon after he felt the smooth tip of her tongue licking his skin in a slow pattern. He was lost in her beautiful sapphire eyes and his heart swell with love for his dragoness.

Eragon hadn't been that intimate with Saphira before. Sure, he stroked or peck her muzzle from time to time, as well as she returned his affection with nuzzling or a lick on his chick. However, this was something entirely different. Some part of his mind was awkward or unsure about it, but at that point, it was a quiet voice. Soon he leaned over her muzzle then grasped her head in a tight hug. Their minds held each other in a warm embrace, appreciating the closeness and the intimate bond they shared. No words were needed to be said.

After a minute, Eragon released her from his embrace and guided her head up. With palms on her scaly cheeks,he began caressing her; small scales were yielding under the pressure of his thumbs. As he continued, he looked up at a very happy dragoness; he felt the warmth spreading through his entire body. The rider massaged her for a while before stopping fully. Only then Saphira opened her eyes with a gleam of pure joy.

"_Did the Queen of the sky find this bath acceptable?" _he saw amusement in her gaze.

"_Yes, I did, Little One," _she puffed a few times laughing in her unique way._ "Thank you" _she bumped her muzzle onto him.

"_You're welcome!" _Then Eragon facepalmed himself mentally."Right, I need the bath too. "

"Mhm." Saphira chuckled in earnest but remained where she stood.

"Shoo. Go dry up. I'll join you in a moment". His face brightened with a grin.

The rider eyes observed gentle and relaxed sways of her hips for a moment as she left the water. With quiet sigh Eragon took off his underwear before tossing it on the grass and began scrubbing himself.

…

After a while the rider joined his partner, gliding his palm over her wings as he walked by, before settling down next to her. Soon they enjoyed the closeness only a dragon and rider bond can provide in comfortable silence. The pair was admiring the view of this peaceful place; the evening sun basking trees in warm light. Saphira glanced at him a few times, noting how past training had changed his body. His body looked slim, yet strong. The muscles of his arms pronounced, but not too much. Her eyes travelled down his body stopping at his groin for a moment, her mind stopped but soon she looked back his face. After the Blood-Oath celebration, he became neither an elf nor a man, as Saphira realized quickly enough back then. He had traits of a normal elf such as tapered ears or angled facial features, but she still could see subtle physical traits of a boy that she bonded with 2 years ago. Her gaze lingered on him long enough for Eragon to take notice. He looked at her with a smile and the dragoness hummed softly as their eyes met.

Their bath occupied their mind so well they forgot completely about someone. With a grunt, the golden Eldunari reminded them of his presence.

"_As I could see, you enjoyed your little break, my students," _

Glaedr felt embarrassment rising in their 3-way link and spoke again to reassure them.

"_Don't worry, you both deserved it." _After a pause, he continued_. "We shall leave in a few minutes, we still have a few things to do."_

"_Give me a moment to put my clothes on." _

The dragoness kept watching him, as she walked up to the place where the saddle was. She nudged it and gave it an evaluative look. Eragon never complained, but she knows that emotionless look on his face every time he put it on her and then struggle with that pile of straps. The leather was in good condition, though it had grazing here and there where Eragon usually sat; nothing too worrying about regarding safety.

"_I'd like to have a new and prettier one, but is it too much to ask now?" _dragoness grazed the soil with her talons. Suddenly, her rider's feet appeared in her field of view. She curled her head back a bit perplexed. As soon as she gave him space, Eragon bent over and picked it up.

After regaining balance, he said,_ "You know the drill." _

A few minutes later every strap was buckled and the rider gave it a final check before asking Saphira if everything lays well on her.

"_We can go now" _Saphira replied softly, then lay down to let her partner mount her. As Eragon was securing his legs in the saddle, something caught the dragoness' attention at the tree line as her body tensed She didn't see it anything, but she had a strong feeling of being observed. Her smell sense didn't help either with the wind blowing from behind her.

"_Eragon, we have to go now" _without giving the rider the moment to reply, she took off beating wings as strongly as possible.

"_What was that Saphira?!" _

Instead of answering, she asked_, "Eragon, Elbrith. Will you check that tree line over there?" _as she climbed into the sky. Feeling the dragoness' distress, both reached out with their magic. They looked around trying to find whatever had put Saphira on the edge, but they couldn't find anything.

"_Saphira… there is nothing there." _

"_Indeed, Bjartskular" _Glaedr added.

"_But… I swear, I…." _she switched to the ancient language, but trailed off, then curled her neck to look back at the tree line; her anxiety was rising. She felt ashamed and started to doubt if whatever she felt was real or it was the result of her tired mind.

Eragon felt bad for her and he reached out to stroke her neck.

"_Hey… Whatever it was, we'll be more careful next time" _

"_I see…" _she replied weakly_. _Saphira changed her course, leaving the lake behind and flew to Talita with a sour mood. They flew in such a state for the rest of the flight.

In the evening the pair caught up with Talita, the ship looked tiny compared to the wide bank of the river, even though it could fit an adult dragon on the deck without a problem. Saphira circled around it to give elves time to remove anything from the landing pad. She spread her wings to the side slowing down almost to halt. She extended her hind legs, as soon as she felt wood under her feet, she leaned forward to cushion the impact with front limbs. The dragoness growled in dissatisfaction considering the maneuver was less gentle for her liking, shaking her head. Eragon didn't mind it on the other hand and began unbuckling the straps to dismount her.

Meanwhile, Saphira waited with folded wings with an unfocused gaze. Her mind couldn't find peace recalling the moment she thought they were being observed on the beach. She tried to analyze that event to figure out if it was her imagination or something real. If the first case was true then she cannot trust her judgment anymore in this state, but if the latter is true… The cold shiver ran through her. The one person she can rely on every time could have been gone in a matter of seconds… With no one to heal his fatal injuries… That thought made her breath quicker and quicker, as her anxiety became more and more prominent. Instinctively, the dragoness looked around expecting danger from all direction.

She heard someone calling her name; pupils widen in fear. _"Saphira!" _

Palms cupped her muzzle and pair of worried eyes looked into her own frightened ones. She had a strong urge to pull back to hide like a wounded animal, but one part of her mind made her stay and look at a being she loved the most. The dragoness felt herself being pull in to a tight hug; she was trembling in the arms of her partner of mind and heart.

"_Shhh… You're safe…" _She listened to the soothing voice and felt soft fingers petting her across her cheeks and ears gently. Lowering the walls around her mind, she let him in. Saphira felt like her mind was being hugged from behind as her Little One leaned his head onto hers. The dragoness listened to his beating heart trying to find relief from the stress. Eragon was doing his best soothing his partner, as they stood there in a tight embrace.

When the rider realized she had calmed enough, he spoke up softly.

"_My Dear, let's ask Glaedr to skip today's' mental defense training. You need a break," _he finished in concern.

It took a moment for Saphira to realize what she was asked. As the dragoness pulled back from his hands' grasps, she replied with a desperate voice.

"_I can't… I have to be prepared for everything. I cannot fail you when you're in need, because I am…" _and after a long pause_ "…weak." _Privately, she added_, "Losing you would be…" _her thoughts trailed off._ "…than leaving him behind." _

"_Saphira, you never failed me and you are not…". _Whatever, he said got lost in her mind as a long, deliberately ignored matter came back in full force. Saphira began recalling a green male dragon she found happiness with. Firnen. Since she had become his mate, life seemed to normalize for her after 2 years of mortal danger and carrying the responsibility of saving all races of Alageasia… However, the shortcomings became plainly apparent. _"So… Why did I… choose him…?" _it seemed like her mind just stopped at that question. Before dwelling in the matter, she felt palm on her cheek again.

"_Hey… " _he caught her attention with a worried voice._ "I can't stand seeing you in this state. Please, we have all the time in the world to train later," _

"_I'm sorry… I have to do it." _Eragon heard pleading in her voice.

Glaedr was paying attention during the entire conversation. In general, he respected the privacy of his students, but today's events made him bend his own rules. The Eldunari took notice that Bjartskular closed off some part of her mind after Eragon began assuring her worth, it was barely noticeable in the mind link and the rider was too worried to spot it as well. Glaedr hummed in deep thought while listening to the exchange between them.

Eragon sighed in defeat. "Alright, but tomorrow no training." He looked at her, his face expressing deep worry.

Saphira was about to protest yet again, but she backed out at the last second. _"As you wish…"_ she turned her head to the side avoiding his eyes. Eragon winced at that.

"Let me take this saddle off you," he said trying to change the topic. He worked emotionlessly, unbuckling each strap and after a while, he put the gear in the storage box. He heard a thud and when he turned around, Saphira was laying on the deck in the same spot she had landed. Eragon could already spot Blodgharm coming their way to begin the daily mental defense training.

The rider called his master. _"Glaedr."_

"_Yes, Eragon?"_

"_I… We can't push Saphira that much. I feel she is falling apart inside."_

"_I'm aware of it, as I said to you last night. I know what you would say about today's training"_ as he felt his student's thoughts forming.

"_I don't want it as well, but Saphira is persistent about it, so let's give it to her." _

"_But Mast…" he was about to protest._

"_Now now, It'll be less difficult than it usually is and I'll let Blodgharm know about it"_ he assured the rider.

Before Glaedr ended the conversation, he said to Eragon. _"Spend this night with her, she would feel better with someone she can call family at her side." _

Blodgharm came up to him and then greet him in the elven fashion.

"_I hope the patrol was alright, Shadeslayer" _he smiled showing off his sharp teeth.

"_It could have been better" _Eragon didn't really want to talk about it, thus he changed the subject quickly leaving no chance for his friend to reply.

"_Gleadr and I decided to modify our today's mental defense training. He'll share all details." _

After a moment Blodgharm looked back at Eragon and simply nodded.

The rider went back to a brooding Saphira and his heart clenched at the sight. The once proud dragoness had been becoming a shadow of herself. She lay sprawled on the floor with wings spread carelessly to the sides. Only when he was close, did she gave him a glance and averted her eyes quickly. He kneeled in front of her head hesitating to speak up.

"_We can begin training when you're ready…"_

"_Let's do this_" she replied emotionlessly. The rider sat down next to her and Blodgharm in front of the pair.

Once again Eragon and Saphira joined their minds, but as soon as that happened the rider felt like his dragoness was closing off a big chunk of her mind to him slowly. At once he knew it was not part of the mental training. He sensed she was not aware of what she was doing, as walls were being arisen between them. Eragon opened his mouth a few times, but no words came. After a moment, he realized she stopped, but if he tried to touch the affected part of her mind, he would have found there iron mental walls.

He looked back at her._ "Saphira, please let me in my Dear."_

"_Wha…" _She snapped out of a daze. Eragon felt complete confusion from his partner and then a huge embarrassment. Her mental walls were being lowered with a struggle like 2 parts were fighting over the control of her mind. At last, he connected with her fully.

Eragon wrapped her mind with a comforting hug, then laid down the plan.

"_We will lure them inside, and do a counterattack when you smack your paw on the deck on my mark."_

"_Wouldn't it be too pre… predictable?" _she asked, struggling with words.

"_As far as I can tell we have never tried using your paw as a distraction. Perhaps Glaedr experienced such a trick in the past, but it was such a long time ago, he might have forgotten about it. Blodgharm didn't experience that so there is a chance to surprise him at least." _

Saphira took a moment to think about; something in her mind told her it was a foolish tactic, but she had no energy to argue, while the elf and Glaedr were waiting for them.

"_Alright, let me know when."_

"_Elbrithil, Blodgharm, we are ready." _They both said to their sparring partners.

As soon as the last word left their mind, they pulled up walls around their minds. Then they felt enormous pressure around them. Eragon was reciting an old poem, as Saphira was focused on a polished scale on her paw. They balanced on a thin line; they had to leave a door open, but not so much to reveal their plan. A sharp stab went through their minds, their teachers went through the first barrier but it didn't make them exposed enough for a counter-attack. The rider's face twitched in an involuntary grimace, but his elven opponent stood there in a relaxed pose. Meanwhile, Saphira was doing her best to remain concentrated, while Glaedr was focusing his attack on her. Years of experience made him a dangerous foe. She played along her rider's plans falling back step by step and made sure Eragon did the same. Unfortunately, regular waves of drowsiness began affecting Saphira. She felt like her head was swimming, as she was about to lose her consciousness but she regained it in the last moment.

"_I can't do it. A few minutes longer… and we will lose because of me."_

She reached out to her Little One, while he was luring Glaedr and Blodgharm into the trap.

"_Eragon… I… We must do it now." _

"_Do it." _

With the last spark of her strength, she slammed her paw on the deck. A loud thud broke the silence on the ship. She noticed the elf flinched and withheld the attack, as well as Glaedr. Then Eragon pushed back harshly and Saphira assisted him as much as she was able to in her state. They were breaking through their mental defenses like butter. It was quite odd for the dragoness because their sparring partners were one of the most skilled beings she knew. Her pondering made her fall behind Eragon's attack, watching him all doing all of the work. Soon Eragon had put Glaedr and Blodgharm into a corner. The dragoness felt Eragon withdrawing which announced the end of the training session. She lingered in the space between advancing with the attack and withdrawing, with her suspicion growing. Then with a mental growl, she pulled back. Snapping out of her daze, she looked at her rider trying to read his face.

"_Well done, my students" _she heard Elbrithil's measured words_. "It was a good idea to use the paw, Saphira. Blodgharm didn't expect it." _

"_It was Eragon's idea…" _

"_It was still you that did it. It's not a bad thing to follow someone's advice Bjartskular" _he added in a reassuring tone.

She could tell she didn't deserve the praise her master gave her and it made her feel worse.

Glaedr waited for Saphira's response for a moment, but it didn't come.

A draconian grunt of the Eldunari broke the uncomfortable silence by addressing the elf.

"_Master Blodgharm, even with your knowledge there is still something that can surprise you." _

"_Indeed, I will meditate about it later certainly," _he added in a melodic voice.

Eragon stood there listening to the conversation, feeling an urge to be excused to take care of Saphira; he could feel in their bond the strong waves of sleepiness and sorrow clouding her mind.

"_Elbrithil, may we take a rest?" _doing his best to not sound impatient.

"_Ah. Yes, you are free. Let me know if you need me." _

"_Of course." _

Eragon turned to Saphira and locked his gaze with hers. In the link, he felt like their minds are separated by a no man's land that his dragoness was afraid to cross. He decided to walk up to her slowly and place his palm on her warm cheek, then pushed his thoughts towards her. She let him in and the rider was almost overwhelmed by the emotions he got a glimpse of. Eragon quickly wrapped her head in a tight hug as he heard her breath quicken with strong gusts of air that flowed down his legs, followed by her muscles trembling. Saphira winced trying to push him back.

"_Why…?" _she said in deep sadness._ "Why did Gleadr and Blodgharm… go easy on us? I was… I was barely able to hold them back… as they gave me… a head start." _She continued with a shaking voice.

"_Did you… know about it?" _That question made Eragon even tenser and it told Saphira everything she needed to know.

"_You did…" _She couldn't hold back anymore. She swung her head sharply making Eragon lose his grip and stumble back. Suddenly, a loud yowl of the distraught dragoness was heard on the entire ship. Eragon watched with big eyes, as Saphira was thrashing on the deck with her claws digging deeply in the wooden planks. Her tail smashed all crates within range into pieces. The rider was calling her loudly, but his voice was nothing compared to the crying dragoness. In the corner of his eyes, he saw elves coming to see what's going on. Some of them with swords in hands. Blodgharm went to them and quickly told the others to go away because their presence wouldn't have helped. A moment later, Saphira stopped her thrashing and slumped on the deck. Then she managed to curl her body in a ball trying to hide her head between her front legs and under her wing. She rocked her body back and forth in the fetal position.

When Eragon realized it was safe to approach his dragoness, he rushed in heedless of danger. He immediately tried to contact her through their bond and as soon as he did that Saphira's thoughts flooded his mind. Nothing was clear in the swirl of emotions in their bond except for one thought that struck Eragon like a lightning.

"_I am… worthless. I'm not worthy to be his dragon…" _The bond was getting weaker._ "Sooner or later I'll lose my rider… as I lost him…" _The rider knew there was more to it, but her voice was being clouded by overwhelming despair and soon he couldn't hear her anymore. He lay down and wrapped his arms around her neck as much as it was possible, doing his best to take her pain on himself. In a matter of time, Eragon joined her in sorrow with tears running down his cheeks while he was saying sorry repeatedly.

The pair were left alone except for Glaedr who kept the watch. The elder dragon knew he shared in the responsibility for his students' state. In his life, there were times he had to comfort young dragons under his care, but in this case, it would make the matter worse he thought. As he felt the pair falling asleep from exhaustion, he asked Blodgharm to bring a blanket for Eragon, who was holding Saphira's neck close to his chest. The light of sunset fell on the couple through clouds highlighting deep scars and holes on the wooden deck. It was as broken as the dragoness' soul.

"_Rogue mages, dangerous animals… It's something we all knew how to deal with, but nothing provides a bigger challenge than healing broken heart…"_

**A/N:**

**Hello, the daily life and University kept me occupied so much I didn't start writing chapter 4 but whenever I had free time I spent it on editing chapter 2 and 3. I hope you would like it. Let me know if there glaring issues in reviews. **

**Special thanks to my beta readers BlueDragonRider, Nikoladies, Mark and Merc for beta reading and support :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/n: Warning. The chapter contains nudity._**

**_..._**

Eragon woke up with a gasp, still holding his dragoness on the deck of the Talita. His thoughts was still disoriented, but slowly catching up to the event from the previous day. It struck him like a well-aimed arrow and his mind was flooded with regret and guilt. "I'm so sorry" he whispered quietly to sleeping Saphira, as he clenched his arms around her tighter. Eragonfound himself on the verge of crying again as he started thinking about his neglection and ignorance towards his precious partner. Indeed, a few tears already started to flow down his cheeks. He struggled to remain quiet to avoid waking her up. He could feel her trembling from time to time in his grasp. Eragon looked up and noticed it was very early in the morning, as he felt the chill air around him.

He didn't know what he would say to his dragoness when she woke up. They had arguments from time to time… He knew he must apologise but his words would not amend his actions. So he lay there thinking about it without any clear solutions. After some time he felt the gentle pressure of Eldunarii on his mind.

With tired and down-cast voice, he addressed his masters_. "Yes, Elbrithil…" _He kept his face turned to Saphira as he didn't want them to see his face tainted with tears.

Glaedr and Umaroth were taken aback by the sheer level of grief of the young rider and it took a moment for them to regain their composure.

"_Eragon," Glaedr began in the ancient language "I… apologise for what I did during yesterday's training and… pushing Saphira and you so much for last week. I never wanted to hurt her." _

"_It's my fault. I ignored signs she has been dealing with something inside her since… since we left Alagesia." _Eragon struggled to hold his voice even, then continued. _"I saw her unfocused gaze, __the hesitation in her voice, but I shrugged that off…"_

Umaroth spoke up snapping the rider out of his guilt for a moment.

"_You took the time to investigate her insomnia and I saw you at her side whenever she was troubled." _Umaroth noticed Eragon's surprise.

"_Yes, I always pay attention to both of you, even though I remain__ed__ silent. Glaedr let me know you spent nights reading scrolls__ trying to help her." _With a soothing voice, like a parent calming the distressed child down, he continued.

"_Your action proved you did notice her behaviour and reacted the best way you could."_

"_So what… What should I do now?" _He slowly pulled back from Saphira but remained seated on the deck.

"_We put the expedition and your daily tasks on hold till Saphira feels better," _Glaedr added_._

"_Indeed." _Umaroth chimed in with a quiet growl.

"_But… We must…" _Eragon began.

"_The hatchlings have been in eggs for over one hundred years, they can wait a bit longe__r," _Umaroth replied.

"_Alright…" _

"_Eragon, do you remember our conversation last night? _Glaedr asked_._

"_I do."_

"_What was the relationship between Saphira and Firnen really like?" _

Eragon became quiet trying to recall everything he might have noticed, even though there was not much. Now he cursed himself for spending so much time with Arya and neglecting Saphira back then. He couldn't rely on his memories, thus he looked into his heart hoping his emotions would guide him. The first meeting with Firnen. The following weeks flying back and forth between representatives of each race. The happy and passionate reunions of dragons…

"_As far_ _ as I could tell she loved him…" _he hesitated for a moment at the uncertainty in his own voice_. __"You may have an idea how loud dragons mates are during the times they think they're alone…"_

Both elder dragons acknowledged this with sheepish grunts.

"_So everything seemed fine to me…" _

"_Go on youngling_,_" Umaroth urged him._

Eragon reached out to caress Saphira's scales gently lost in thoughts.

"_I think she has been trying to suppress her longing for him for a long time…" _he paused for a moment. All symptoms she showed… Insecurity, anxiety, insomnia… There was something more to this. During the war his dragoness always supported him in every moment, when he fought for, or was rejected by Arya. To him Saphira was his anchor in the endevour to overthrow Galbatorix but… Did he support her well enough during that time too? The rider quickly recalled past events, it felt to him the longer they spent in Vardens the less time they had for themselves. His face lost colour when he realised she could had been at the edge of breakdown for a _long_ time. What if Firnen was the one that was helping to keep her accumulated stress at bay? Before he could dwell on that thought, Glaedr interrupted him.

"_This trip didn't make it easy for he__r." _

"_No, it didn't. I __believe the only thing that kept that sorrow at bay was her self-confidence…" __Eragon agreed. _

"…_which was shattered yesterday." _Umaroth finished for him, then everyone fell silent.

Eragon didn't want to mention what he just realised; he felt uneasy to say it in the open.

The rider kept rubbing the dragoness' scales feeling warmth beneath his fingers. He overcame many obstacles during the fight against Galbatorix with her. When the situation seemed to be hopeless they always found the solution. It couldn't be truer after the battle with the tyrant king which was won by his powerful, wordless spell… But what can he do now? There is no way back to Alagaesia as the cruel fate decided in Teirm. They can't go back to their loved ones_. "I can't go back to her…" _As his mind began to wonder that path, the morning sun began shedding light on his dragoness, catching his attention. Light reflected on each scale creating a spectacle for his sore eyes. As he looked at Saphira's muzzle, something just clicked in his long as she is at his side he will never be alone.

"_Eragon" _Glaedr made him snap out of his melancholy.

"_I know you can't replace Firnen, but to help her you should give her as much attention and care as you're able to." _Eragon's heart stopped when replacing Firnen was mentioned.

"_You're the last__ anchor for her sanity probably." _

A cold shiver ran down Eragon's spine at his master's last words. His reaction was swift. He raised his head high and replied in the ancient language.

"_I will do everything to make her happy again, whatever it will be."_

Both elder dragons fell silent. Eragon shifted in place, suddenly a little awkward as he realised the severity of his declaration. However, it felt right to say at the same time. His thoughts moved back to Eldunarii, then something just clicked in his mind.

"_I believe I'd be better if only you, Master Glaedr, accompanies me from now on..__."_ Feeling disapproval from Umaroth, he quickly added.

"_Saphira would feel more comfortable with only Glaedr because she met him in person. It's not easy to open oneself to strangers, I mean no disrespect to Master Umaroth and the other Eldunarii…" _

"_None taken,"_ Umaroth replied followed by his deep sigh. _"I see your point." _

"_As do I."_ Glaedr chimed in, then he added.

"_However, you won't be allowed to go too far from Talita just in case"_

"_Naturally"_ Eragon replied. The rider took a moment to gather his thoughts trying to figure out the logistics side of his idea.

"_Can we transfer all Eldunarii except for Glaedr's one to Master Blodgharm inside a wrapped space like mine?" _

"_Yes, it will require a small modification of the spell,"_ Umaroth confirmed. "_And we won't transfer all Eldunarii at once. No need to __reinforce Saphira's self-doubt_. _Let's start with only half of them for today._

Eragon tensed feeling Saphira stirring beside him.

"_The rest of us can be transferred over time by a small amount at one tim__e,"_ Gleadr spoke. _"I'll make sure only the quietest ones will stay with you Eragon, so Saphira wouldn't feel the difference when it is only me with you."_

"_Ok, we'll do it as soon as Blodgharm is awake." _A low growl broke the silence behind him. He turned to see her muscles had already begun twitching.

"_Excuse me, Masters." _

He turned around and rushed as quietly as possible towards Saphira's head. He sat with a safe distance in case she was disoriented. He observed her body began twitching more as muscles jerked underneath her scales. Suddenly, her left wing moved sharply almost hitting him at his right side, as it pushed close to her body. Eragon turned his gaze to her eyes and saw them twitching. Assuming she was having a bad dream, he closed his eyes and reached out for her mind with his own to gently probe her thoughts. He found her mind clouded with incomprehensible scenes, words ripped out from the context and her increasing panic. The rider started injecting his warmth and affection into her, pushing the darkness out from her mind. The pressure of darkness was almost overwhelming to him, but he strengthened his resolve to keep going. To him, it felt like going through the thickest forest he had ever visited trying to reach his goal on the other side. Step by step he came closer and closer to her consciousness that seemed hidden behind thick iron walls; it looked like a wounded animal hidden in its safe nest. With one part of him keeping the darkness of her mind at bay, the other reached out and touched the cold barrier. Eragon spoke up with all the affection he could muster in his gentle voice.

"_Saphira, wake up. You're safe with me…"_

At once the pressure around him stopped and the wall around her core lowered. He felt she wanted to hug his mind badly to seek comfort, but she stopped and slowly pushed him out of her mind feeling ashamed because of what he might have seen. When Eragon returned to his body and opened his eyes, he saw Saphira was awake and looking at him from the corner of her eye. She still lay in the fetal position and pressed her limbs tighter to her body as soon as she caught her rider's gaze. Instinctively she tried to look smaller and hide from him, even though she wasn't aware of it.

"_I…"_ Her body began shaking.

"_Shh… You don't need to say anything if you don't want to__,"_ he said with all the love he had.

"_Come here"_ he continued as he moved to her closer and open his arms widely. Even without their bond, he could tell that she was extremely nervious about something, and he desperately wanted to help sooth it away.

Saphira jerked her head away instinctively; her wide pupils staring at his hands. Eragon's heart clenched to see his dear dragoness moving away from him, but he still held his arms in the same position. Following his instincts, the rider closed his eyes and waited. After a moment, sensitive ears heard the hesitant shuffle of her scales across the wooden deck. Eragon knew her head was right in front of him with her fearful eyes studying his features. Then she brushed his chest with her muzzle shyly sending gusts of air from her nostrils. After a few seconds which seemed like hours to Eragon, he felt the weight of the dragoness head on his lap. A weak and sorrowful whine escaped her throat, as she tried her best to hide her head from the sight of the entire world. Eragon lowered his arms to hug her gently trying to avoid startling the dragoness, as she continued sobbing. He placed his cheek on top of her head and reached out to grasp her ear. He began caressing it carefully in a calming manner. His another palm rested on her cheek, feeling the warmth underneath a layer of sapphire scales. Eragon wrapped his mind around hers holding her. He didn't think, he just did what felt right.

The rider turned his head to peck her on top of her head. As he did it his nose caught the earthy scent of Saphira. Subconsciously, he took a few breaths lingering over her scales. He had never thought her smell could have been so pleasant. Eragon placed his cheek back where it was before and brushed her scales softly. Meanwhile, the dragoness had been doing exactly the same, trying to find comfort in her Little One's smell and body. Saphira twisted her head trying to spread his scent over her scales.

They sat there for several minutes. Eragon took notice that her breath went back to normal and she lay still on his lap. Reluctantly, the rider rose from her head and continued petting her muzzle, stroking it up and down its length. Worry was apparent in his mind, especially since he couldn't tell what was going on inside the dragoness's mind. One wrong word may add more salt to the wound; he wanted to avoid that at all cost.

Suddenly, he felt Saphira shifting on his lap. She pulled away from the rider's hands and slowly, turned head a bit to look at him. Eragon felt if dragons had been able to shed tears, he would have looked at them flowing down her scales. With a voice that was barely a whisper she spoke.

"_I am such a pathetic dragon… Losing during the mental training with…. such a head start_._" She whimpered._ _"I… don't know how I can be worth being called a dragon…"How can I be worthy of being your dragon?" _She clenched her eyelids tightly and a shudder ran through her entire body.

Eragon was stunned by the impact of her words and the sorrow flowing within their bond. He quickly placed his palm on her muzzle before he spoke_. _

"_You're my Saphira. The one I fought with side by side __when we defeated the tyrant king. The one I have been with for better and for worse for the last 2 years. The one I love and care for. A slip up won't change what I think and feel about you, because you're the world to me." _

His last words made Saphira growl in shock. He took a break to gather his thoughts as the dragoness opened her eyes and looked at him with a gleam he couldn't recognise.

"_I'm sorry I haven't given you the attention and care you needed since we began this expedition and... way before it. It seems I was so focused on the task that I forgot to take things slowly and you suffered because of it." _

He lowered his head as best as he could to look in her eyes. This time the dragoness didn't pull back, but she stared deep into his brown ones with focus.

"_I will do everything to see you happy again__,__" __he added, _switching to the ancient language once again._ "And remember, you're not alone in this." _Then he kissed her eyebrow softly.

Saphira was paralysed by the sudden declaration of her rider and the light touch of his lips on her scales made her mind stop followed by a spark of pleasure she hadn't felt for a while. It was a simple gesture, but it carried a bigger meaning than the words could. Many thoughts flew through her mind trying to find words to express what she felt.

Saphira raised her head and pressed her muzzle under Eragon's chin and with a rumble she said:

"_Thank You… My Little One…" _

Careful not to scrape his vulnerable skin with his rough scales, she began to rub herself against him. Eragon returned her gesture in his own way, running his palm back and forth over her scales. She growled finding the comfort she desperately needed.

After a moment she curled her head back and nipped Eragon's jaw gently absentmindedly. Then she pulled back entirely. The rider sat there a bit stunned; she has never done something like that to him before. She suddenly realized what she had done and snorted in surprise at herself, maybe even a little confused as to what had caused her to do something like that. _"I only did that with…"_ Saphira shook her head trying to remove the thought from her mind.

Meanwhile, Eragon was lost what just happened and figured Saphira felt the same. He made a mental note to worry about it later.

Saphira, noticing the confusion in the gaze of her rider, decided to change topic feeling a bit nervous.

"_So… Are we going on a patrol… as usual?" _she whimpered in slight anxiety.

"_No, we aren't. Glaedr gave us a day off," _he felt a jolt of fear in their bond when the Eldunari's name was mentioned. Then he continued after a second_. _

"_Furthermore the elves wouldn't mind to stretch their legs on land and explore on their own for a bit." _

The last part he added on his own, hoping Umaroth would approve his idea as the rider let Glaedr know about his intentions privately.

"_Does it mean… __no __mental defense training today?"_ she asked a little hesitently.

"_Yes,"_ then he quickly added out loud. "We can do whatever we would like to do".

"_I see…"_ Eragon failed to notice his Saphira making a wry face. Her paranoiac side of mind began overthinking implications of their Masters' reluctance to continue their training. The clouds of darkness began to solidify around the core of her soul, numbing the regions responsible for expressing positive emotions. She felt the energy leaving her muscles as she laid her head on the deck in front of her Little One. Saphira looked up at her rider and slowly lowered her gaze to stare at the deck of Talita instead. Eragon realised his response had the opposite effect of what he had anticipated, and slapping himself mentally, he offered an alternative option.

"_You know, if you fe__lt__ like it, we could train together. Just you and me,"_ he reached his hand out to rub her muzzle in a soothing pattern.

Saphira was quiet for a long while unable to decide whether she should agree or not.

"_Maybe… I think I'm not strong enough anymore."_ She responded with no emotion in her voice. As the dragoness spoke up, Eragon slowed down his caressing, paying even more attention to what he was doing.

"No pressure, my dear. Know my offer still stands and I'll train with you with pleasure," he finished with a genuine smile.

Saphira felt lost, one side her mind didn't believe in his words but on the other, she felt overawed and pleased, even though it was just a simple and natural thing for any bonded dragon and its rider. The dragoness sent him thoughts of appreciation, despite being wary of mental defence training with him.

Eragon recalled to his mind the matter he discussed with his teachers earlier this morning. He looked around as he thought about how to approach this idea and avoid stressing Saphira. He asked Umaroth privately if he approved the rider's suggestion. He may have come up with the idea, but he was still nervous of exactly how to present it to his dragoness.

"_Also, Umaroth wished some Eldunarii would be assigned to Boldgharm, so in case something bad happened, he would have enough strength to help __the other elves or us."_

"_Wouldn't be better…"_ she began, but quickly dismissed her worries.

"_Alright…"_

"_Hey… I value your opinion a lot"_ he said softly to her as he grabbed her lower jaw to raise her head to his eye level.

"_What __do __you think about it?"_ the rider asked a simple question, yet it sent her warm feelings across the bond as he looked into her bottomless sapphire eyes.

"_Master Blodgharm is a strong mage, but…__it doesn't mean he cannot be defeated…"_ She turned her eyes to avoid his gaze.

After a moment she continued _"What would have happened to the Eldunarii if… he perished?" _Her sense of duty made her believe the only safe place for them is with Eragon and herself, even though the presence of hundreds of Eldunarii may not be… comfortable.

"_They will still be hidden in the warped space, it doesn't need constant energy to be sustained," _Eragon replied. Feeling hesitation from his dragoness he decided to reassure his dragoness.

"_And the Eldunarii will share their strength with Blodgharm in case it's needed. They will be in good hands." _

Saphira thought his response was a little careless, it was something she should expect from her rider after all.

"_He is right Brightskular" _Umaroth chimed in out of blue startling the dragoness a bit. Her pupils widened, as she shuddered in Eragon's grasps.

"_Yes, Elbrith" _she replied embarrassed_. _

"_Fear not, it will be alright. We will ask Blodgharm __to swear he would return all Eldunarii to you at your request," _Umaroth tried to reassure the worried dragoness, but with the mixed result, unfortunately.

"_If you are so sure about it, so be it,"_ she sighed in resignation, forgetting to address the elder dragon with respect.

"Hey," Eragon's voice caught her attention. During the exchange with Umaroth, she forgot her head was still in her riders' warm palms. She locked her tired eyes with his, trying to read his expression. Uncertainty flew through her mind as he brought her muzzle closer to his face. Soon after Saphira felt the warm and gentle touch of his lips on her scales. It wasn't a simple peck he used to give her a lot in the past. This one was deeper and longer. She watched him with wide eyes, feeling a surge of pleasure across their bond. Her mind was unable to comprehend the sudden strong affectionate act of her Little One. Even though it felt like minutes, the entire experience lasted 3 or 4 seconds.

Eragon pulled back and spoke _"It will be fine"_ with a tone reminding the dragoness almost of a crooning dragon. Saphira remained speechless after the kiss. She lowered her eyes and titled her muzzle in a shy manner feeling such a strong affection from her rider. At least, something told her that her reckless rider may be right and she found some peace in his soft voice.

"_I trust you"_ she replied as a shudder ran through her body. Her reaction made the rider smile broadly. He knew she had a lot of problems to deal with, but he was glad he had her trust.

Eragon rubbed her sensitive nose, admiring the sapphire colours of her scales before his mind stopped daydreaming. He guessed he stayed too long enjoying it. He released her head and got up carefully. Sitting too long in one position strained his muscles, the pain reminded him of his neglection of rimgar for the last few days.

Saphira followed Eragon's movement with her eyes in anticipation.

"Will you wait here for a moment? I'll go get Blodgharm so we can begin the transfer of the Eldunarii to him."

"_Yes, I'll be here". _

The rider nodded and went towards the entrance to lower decks passing his dragoness by her side. She curled her head to look at him as he walked past. Then, she noticed her restless tail from the corner of her eye as it betrayed her conflicted mess of emotions. With an irritated growl to herself, she forced it to stop twitching before Eragon would notice and start worrying again...

Eragon walked down stairs and went to the elf's cabin. He was about to knock on the door when the one he looked for open it. So, the rider found himself with a raised palm clenched in a fist in front Blodgharm face. The elves' hearing sense will never stop to amaze him.

"Good morning, Shadeslayer" he greeted him, as touched his lips with two fingers. Eragon replied likewise.

"I see you came here in haste. _Did something bad happen with Bjartskular?" _he added in sending his thought to Eragon.

"_No, it could've been better, could've been worse," _he replied and then said out loud_ "_Umaroth and I need you on deck, please follow me."

"Lead the way, Eragon."

As they walked towards the stairs the rider recalled waking up covered by a blanket. He had a feeling Blodgharm was responsible for it, but he wasn't sure.

"I need to thank the person who gave me a blanket during last night… It is pretty cool this early in the morning."

"I'm sure it's not needed. It's just natural for us." Blodgharm replied quickly.

"_Blodgharm humble as always,__" _Eragon thought_. _"I know, I still appreciate it whoever did it."

"I couldn't expect nothing less" the elf finished with a faint smile.

They reached the staircase and walked up to the top deck. Eragon opened the door and the chill air hit his skin once again. He looked around taking a view of the landscape and then look towards where Saphira was.

It seemed she was at the beginning of her morning routine. Eragon's eyes turned towards her as she started stretching her back in a cat-like manner. The dragoness lowered her front body to the deck, pushing her hips back and up with the tail curling up. The rider's gaze landed on her hips, admiring the view of her shapely tights and the slim tail raised in the air. Then his eyes caught the view of her vaginal folds rubbing each other with every subtle movement of her hips. Eragon couldn't turn his gaze away from her rump while he was walking towards her. Soon the view of the dragoness' exposed groin was imprinted on the rider's memory. A sly smile appeared on his face. However, his daydreaming was interrupted when the dragoness lowered her tail and hips, finishing one part of the morning ritual.

To Eragon, it felt like he was pulled out from a trance and the logical part of his mind managed to finally get control over his brain again. As soon as it did, the rider's cheeks became rose red and he hastily closed off that part of his mind in panic. He couldn't have imagined his Saphira's reaction if she had found out. He prayed Blodgharm didn't notice what he did either. _"What is wrong with me? Why did I look at her in such a way?"_ Those were two of the many questions that were being repeated over and over again as he continued walking after a brief stop.

He walked around the dragoness and did his best to not look at her, trying to calm down. The rider knew it wasn't the first time he experienced something like this and it made him worry what it could mean. On his side stood Blodgharm who sensed the rider's discomfort but he chose to not mention it.

Meanwhile, Saphira finished her morning stretching and turned towards her Little One. He appeared nervous for some reason and it started affecting her as well. She focused her tired mind on him to call him. The dragoness went through his outer barriers without problems after they recognised a well-known visitor. However, she heard no response. Her anxiety began raising with every moment of silence. Saphira was about to reach for the barrier where she suspected Eragon soul was, but she hesitated. Instead, she reached out her head and bumped his chest gently before looked down, fearing his reaction subconsciously.

Eragon snapped out from his thoughts and heard Saphira question.

"_Is… it everything alright?"_ she asked in a quiet voice.

"_Yes, I was just… too deep in thoughts, sorry"_ he tried to sound as apologetic as possible.

"_Mhm…"_ she replied weakly followed by a quiet throat rumble.

Eragon cursed himself. He couldn't tell the whole truth which will create awkward moments between them, like this one. He could tell she felt her concern was disregarded though, and it pained him to see that. Trying to stop the damage, he reached out and cupped her cheek to let her know he appreciated her care. She looked at him without saying a word and then spoke up.

"_So… _s_hall we start the transfer then?"_ she asked, sending her thoughts to Eragon, Blodgharm, and Eldunarii.

"We shall," Glaedr spoke up making Eragon jerk a bit. With a shock, the rider suddenly realized that his mentor may had noticed his reaction to ... the 'incident'. _"Eragon, Saphira, listen to the spell words carefully and try to memorise i__t."_

The golden Eldunarii told them the words of power in the ancient language. The spell was meant to keep any object inside a small warped space behind the person affected by the spell. It was quite cheap and safe because it required only a one time draw of a caster's energy. Even when a person who carries such hidden storage dies, the warped space would still remain unaffected because it doesn't require energy to sustain it. In the worst-case scenario, it would be tied to the body forever unless someone had cancelled the spell.

When the spell was memorised by the rider and the dragoness, Glaedr asked Blodgharm to vow in the ancient language that he would return the Eldunarii to Eragon and Saphira by their or Glaedr's request without any delay. He wouldn't abuse the hearts of hearts' power for his personal gains and only be allowed to use their strength to defend himself and other people during this expedition.

"Do you not trust me enough, my friends?" he showed off his teeth in one of his characteristic smiles.

"Better safe than sorry," Eragon replied in a joking manner.

The elf chuckled in response, then he repeated the oath that bound him magically.

Eragon closed his eyes and began casting the spell. Firstly, he created the warped space behind the elf using his life energy to sustain it. He also bound the light around them so no one could see the Eldunarii in the open as they were being transferred to Blodgharm's hidden storage space one by one. After a moment, six dozen of the Eldunarii were placed inside there. Eragon and Saphira felt the difference in their minds. The presence of the Eldunarii was faint but still detectable as they made sure the spell allowed free communication between each individual gem. The rider opened his eyes relaxing his mind after the intense concentration. Saphira came up behind him, holding her head above his shoulder.

"_Is everything in order Umaroth-__elda, Master Blodgharm?"_ he asked, looking at the elf and the spot behind him.

"_It is, it feels no different when compared to a moment before." _The leader of the dragons spoke.

Blodgharm smiled feeling the presence of dragons. For Eragon, it was a good answer.

Umaroth concluded._"Now, in case of an emergency, the elves would have enough power to defend Talita from various threats. However, they are not unbeatable, even with the aid of the Eldunarii. I know you have an admirable sense of your duty, but you can't protect us and the eggs while you are away __on patrol at the same time. So make sure you remain within summoning distance at all times." _

The last words were directed towards both the rider and the dragoness. To Eragon, they made sense, even though a big part of him felt it was his ultimate responsibility to protect the dragons. The man's lips tightened at those words. Meanwhile, Umaroth's sincere concern made Saphira feel even more guilty. Her wings and tail lowered like they had no more energy to be held in idle position.

"_I understand, Master. Our duties don't change, we will do our best to protect you and the future of __the __dragon race." _

"_I didn't expect anything different from both of you." _After a moment he added_, __"with this matter dealt with you are free. Just please report at least twice a day if you were away from Talita."_

"_Argetlman," _Blodgharm lowered his head to show respect.

"_Blodgharm," _Eragon returned the gesture smiling and then watched the furry elf walking away to join his people who began their morning tasks on board the ship.

The rider didn't overlook the fact that his partner-of-mind-and-heart was really quiet during the entire conversation. Letting his mind wander to probe her soul, he reached out with his left arm to guide her head onto his shoulder. She didn't resist his probe and he was surprised to find her mind was silent Eragon pressed his cheek to her muzzle as the right hand began petting the sensitive tip of her nose gently.

"_You were quiet, my dear," _he began softly._ "Would you like to talk about it?" _leaving her an option to interpret the question as she wants to.

"_I am not sure…" _she replied honestly_. "I feel… lost."_

Eragon wrapped his mind around her in a gentle but firm hug.

"_I'll help you to find the way," _he assured her with a loving tone, kissing her muzzle. As he did that, Saphira's heart skipped a beat as something stirred in her heart that she didn't know what it was. Though, it didn't stop her from nudging his cheek in appreciation. Suddenly, a rumble in the dragoness' stomach made her eyes widen in surprise.

"_Would you like to grab something to eat?" _Eragon chuckled.

"_Yes." _she answered sheepishly_. _

"_I'll go get my bag and the saddle then". _Before he walked away he felt Saphira's muzzle touch the back of his neck as her nostrils took his scent in a deep breath. He smiled and nudged her mind in a cheerful manner. She cooed in response.

Eragon felt the warmth inside him thinking about his dragoness while he was going towards the storage to pick up the needed equipment. The memory of the 'incident' from this morning was still fresh, but it was overshadowed by love to his Saphira.

"_I wish I could hold her in my arms like during the time she was just a hatchling," _the rider thought privately and felt the warmth spreading across his entire body. He trotted to his cabin to pick up his belongings. He stopped in front of his desk and saw sheets of paper and charcoal laying on it. An idea came to him and he quickly put them in his bag.

He headed back to the top deck where Saphira was looking into the distance, deep in thought. Eragon didn't want to leave her for a too long time alone, so he trotted to her, dropped his bag near her and then went back to pick up the saddle.

The entire saddling process proved to take longer than just a day ago. Despite her sleep, she still felt tired and exhausted, thus her movements were sluggish. Eragon had to encourage her to get up so he could buckle up all the stripes.

After a moment she lowered the front of her body so he could mount her. He put his sword into the sheath and soon he was secured in the saddle. Before he let Saphira know he was ready she spoke to him.

"_Are you secure in the saddle, Little One?" _She curled her head to him and looked at her saddle. She was suddenly alert again, even a little anxious despite the knowledge her rider wouldn't neglect his safety. She felt the urge to ask anyway.

The rider looked down to the side and gave the straps a critical look.

"_Yes, I am, as always."_

"_Are you sure?" _she asked in a worried tone.

"_Mhm." _

Saphira looked up and made brief eye contact with Eragon, then she averted her gaze feeling embarrassed.

"_I do appreciate your concern my Saphira."_He replied in warm tone.

"_You know better than me the ins and outs of saddles anyway." _She curled her neck away from him. He looked down, noticing her paw clenched and unclenched leaving marks on wood from sharp talons.

"_Hey, you're not bad at it either" _he replied as he rubbed her neck. After a moment he added _"let's go, my dear." _

After taking off, the pair headed east down the river. The prey usually goes there to quench thirst, so it was the best shot for them. However, even though the landscape had been slowly changing throughout the entire expedition, they were surprised by the sudden change only a little further downstream... The tree line was almost at the water line thus Edda's banks did not have enough space for Saphira to dive and grab an animal in her claws safely. The attempt would end up with her most likely crashing into trees. Broken limbs could be healed, but even something like a thick tree branch could penetrate a dragon's body and kill it instantly. Glaedr was reluctant to go to the lakes they spotted yesterday due to the distance from the and Eragon expressed similar concern but there wasn't another choice. Saphira made sure to not fly toward the lake they visited before. She had a bad feeling about it.

The sun was climbing in the sky, warming Eragon with its rays. Thankfully, it didn't shine straight into his face, so he didn't have to use magic to see. As usual, the light made the dragoness' scales shine like gems, reflecting various hues of dark blue. Once again, the rider couldn't take his eyes from that view.

His mouth moved faster than his mind could fully decide if it's a good idea to say the thought out loud.

"_Your scales are so beautiful" _he whispered an honest compliment.

In the air, it was difficult to talk but his mind was still open to Saphira. She was caught off guard, to the point she skipped a wing swing and glided for a moment. Only then Eragon realised how out of place his words were and he felt a little embarrassed, even though he really meant what he said. Saphira was confused but her remaining draconic pride liked what it heard.

"_Thank you, Little One" _she spoke and began flapping her wings with more enthusiasm.

"_You're… welcome."_

Naturally, Glaedr heard the entire confession and he frowned, wandering why the rider said something like this now. In general humanoid races are reserved regarding giving compliments after all. Curiosity got the better of him and decided to observe the pair even closer from now on.

Eragon decided to use his old way to deal with a unusual situation like this and he changed the topic.

"_Do you see prey near the banks of the lake below, Saphira?"_

"_Not yet" _she replied slowly. Then she turned her body to make wide circles around the lake and lower her altitude. She looked around for prey, but with subtle movement of her head. The long neck was like a birds' pinion, it could change the flight direction fairly quickly.

The rider reached out with his magic to find potential prey. He began at the tree line and went further. Then, after half a minute, he noticed a medium sized flock of deer heading to the lake. He smiled, the fate is in their favour. However …

"_There is little space for a safe dive…" _he said out loud.

"_What do you mean, Little One?"_

"_I sensed a herd of deer coming toward the lake from the west but I have a feeling there is too little space for you to grab one of them in a div__ing__ flight" _he finished concerned.

Saphira gave the forest line a good look, confirming Eragon's deduction.

"_Well… Let's do it the old fashioned way!" _she declared, then began her landing approach.

After a moment she flapped her wings rapidly to decelerate, almost hovering above the ground. She bent her limbs to absorb the impact then folded her wings. Eragon quickly dismounted and put his sword back on his belt. He and Saphira looked around, analysing the surrounding area, trying to get an idea of how to deal with the hunt in quite a difficult terrain for the large dragon.

"_Hmm… I could hide near the treeline… uh… over there" _Saphira sent a mental image of the gap between some trees. However, the image was blurred for Eragon.

"_Is it that place?" _he sent his interpretation of the information he got.

"_Mhm, I'll let them pass me as they head down to the water… Then I'll block their escape route, trapping them between myself and the water. And... you…"_ She shook her head to push back sudden dizziness.

"_And I'll startle them, driving them to your position..." _

"Saphira…?" He paused for a moment. _"You have trouble concentrating."_

"_Yes," _she replied in a tired and defeated tone.

"_Hey… We will catch your breakfast and you'll feel better with a full belly," _he wrapped her mind in a reassuring hug.

After withdrawing from her mind, he focused on the task at hand.

Eragon couldn't just become invisible and stay on the beach. So his plan was to hide at the bush that grew a few yards away toward the North. Meanwhile, Saphira headed southwest and then went west to the spot making quite a bit of noise, which was quite unusual for such a skilled hunter as herself. The rider could feel something may go wrong with this hunt, but he allowed her to take the lead and only did what he could to improve her chances. Eragon didn't forget to mask her footprints on the ground, as well as her scent in this place. Technically, he could kill a deer with one word of death that he was taught, but he refused to use them as a means of getting food. The thought of taking a life without effort sent shivers down his spine. The old-fashioned hunt gives the prey a chance to escape. Giving the thick forest a quick glance, the rider could feel something may go wrong with this hunt.

He trusted in her judgement. Being able to hunt on its own is an important part of a dragon's life, it's like taking the first steps as a child perhaps. Dragons who were not able to do that had been considered weaker. No one can have a perfect success rate of hunting, but often failures make them less desirable as potential partners in the eyes of other dragons. It was something Eragon did remember when Oromis told him to read scrolls about their culture. He didn't want to take away the chance for Saphira to prove herself. It was part of her, like the ability to fly.

He felt Saphira crouching down in a dimple in the ground, there was enough space for her to do a leap and catch anything passing by.

Focusing on the task, he reached out with his thoughts toward the incoming herd of deer. They were just two hundred yards away.

"_They're coming," _he said and exchanged his knowledge about their whereabouts with Saphira.

"_I smell them" _the dragoness replied.

The air was blowing from the north and thanks to that, the herd couldn't smell the dragoness close to them. Saphira couldn't take a peek from the dimple where she was. Her sapphire scales would be easy to spot by those animals and would cause them to bolt. Therefore, Eragon and Saphira needed to rely entirely on their bond to locate the prey in the forest. Suddenly, the dragoness had a lapse of concentration again. Usually, she could hear her partner-of-mind-and-heart's thoughts clearly, but at that moment the bond became cloudy, like someone was obscuring it in an irregular pattern. Her mind registered what was shown but a second later she couldn't recall it at all. Her lack of focus worried her somewhat, but it didn't seem to be a serious threat, so she cast her doubts aside. She had more pressing matters to consider ... like not failing this hunt! She could only hope that it was an isolated incident and it would not happen again.

The herd was coming out from the forest and cautiously approached the bank. There were a few of them, they looked healthy to Eragon's eyes. He took a good look and send that picture to the dragoness in woods so she could choose a target if she wished to. Her feelings told Eragon she would pick whichever came closest.

They waited for the deer to get used to the new environment and lower their guard. The rider watched each deer quenching its thirst and took short breaks in between, looking around trying to spot an incoming threat. Their ears moved from side to side, trying to detect the slightest noise that would warn them in time to flee to safety. Eragon looked at them for the last time, knowing one of them would end up in Saphira's belly. There is no other option, he thought firmly. With such determination, he set the final part of the plan into action as he sent a mental nod to Saphira. With a shout, he got up from the ground and ran toward the flock.

At once all the deer spotted strange bipedal creature running towards them and instincts told them to react in the only logical way. Flee. Like they were struck by a bolt, they began running away southwest and entered the thick forest. The rider ran after them using his elven stamina and strength. Saphira was waiting to the west, so to correct their path he used his mind to trick their senses sending thoughts of a false danger waiting for them to the south if they continued on that path. The animals reacted immediately and ran straight at Saphira.

Meanwhile, Saphira watched the chase through the mental pictures her Little One kept sending. She felt his adrenaline rush, excitement, and determination like he hadn't felt for a while. The dragoness couldn't recall when was the last time he participated in the hunt. Maybe he missed that even though he didn't realise it, she thought. She could sense his feelings well enough, but that irregular obscuration of their bond came back and she only received a blurry image, barely recognizable as the forest and the deer. With her own mind's reach, Saphira sensed the prey was almost at her position. She crouched lower to use the push of her powerful hind legs to leap her into the air. She knew there would be little space, so she had one chance to pounce on the deer that was still unaware of her presence.

"_Saphira, get ready!" _the voice of her rider was the final clue. She heard the sound of hooves hitting the ground and the rustle of bushes. She pounced. With wings pressed tightly to her body, her legs pushed her forward and she burst from the dimple where she had been hiding. She twisted her body in the direction the deer just as they were running pass, her talons spread ready to sink into tender flesh. Suddenly, her bond was obscured again and Saphira even completely lost sight for a moment. When she regained it, her eyes opened wide at the sight of a strong tree in front of her. It was too late to do anything to avoid it.

Eragon kept running after the herd when he felt a sudden pain from his bond, coming from his Saphira. And then there was nothing. His eyes widened in horror.

"_Saphira!" _he shouted and ran to where he had last sensed the dragoness.

Anxious about his bond-mate, he vaguely recalled the escaping meal she so desperately needed. He barely considered his actions as he flung a word of death at a straggler from the fleeing herd, not really noticing as the creature sized up and collapsed to the ground. Instead, he continued his headlong rush through the undergrowth towards his dragoness.

She lay there motionless on her side, curled in a weird pose with the trunk of the tree next to her. The impact left a scratch on the surface and a few scales could be seen stuck in the wood. One of her wings was spread to the side carelessly, the other was beneath her heavy body. Eragon's eyes widen at the sight and he ran straight toward her head. He jumped over her tail and moved alongside her back to her head. He kneeled next to it and extended his mind and magic towards her.

"_Check her vitals" _Glaedr spoke up with barely hidden nervousness.

"_She still breaths," _Eragon said in relief.

At a quick glance, she seemed okay. However, she was unconscious and the rider felt her flesh was bruised and a few bones fractured. On the surface, it didn't look good either. She was missing a fair bit of scales on top of her muzzle and head. There was only soft irritated skin remaining. He looked up at the tree and wondered how the scales just fell off. Maybe her poor mental state affected her more than he had realized, the rider thought worriedly.

Without wasting more time, he extended his palm and said_ "Waise Hail!"_

A golden glow appeared in his palms and he started moving them above the dragoness' head with a determined focus. He poured his life power, and that of the Eldunarii still with them over her to treat her internal wounds and ease her pain. The rider healed tissue after tissue and fixed fractured bones, minimising damage caused by the unfortunate accident. Eragon hoped the only thing she would have to deal with is a slight headache when she regained consciousness. His body was shaking despite his will to remain still. Nervous eyes were looking at places where he found a wound with his mind. The last spot was healed and he released the flow of magic.

Glaedr was quiet through the whole ordeal as he was sharing his strength, his student did what was necessary. Then he spoke up to the rider.

"_Try to put her head on your lap and raise her nose to the air a bit"._

Eragon sat next to her and then lifted the muzzle and placed it on his lap carefully. The flow of fresh air would help her regain consciousness. The rider still couldn't control the shaking of his body even though he tried his best to calm it down. He reached out a hand and touched the uncovered part of her muzzle, his fingertips gliding over her soft skin. As he continued petting his beloved Saphira his heart rate was stabilising.

How odd it was to see her so defenseless and in some way defeated, Eragon thought. His heart and mind were filled with worry for his dragoness. He wanted to see her happy and healthy so badly. They have only each other, to be honest. With her on his lap, another person who he had found himself close to once, was recalled to his mind briefly. Arya. Beautiful, wise, with an aura of mystery surrounding her to some degree. The time he spent with her was not always joyful but he valued it nonetheless. However, why did it feel so meaningless, as if it was a hole in his heart that had begun to spread? Was it something he had known for a long time but he couldn't or didn't want to admit? He wasn't sure.

His mind came back from a journey to the past and Eragon realised he had stopped stroking his dragoness. His hands were still laying limply on the bridge of her snout. Upset with his wandering mind, he repositioned one hand to affectionately cup a cheek, while the other remained where it was gently petting her. Looking at her made him want to care about more than he used to. To hold her in his arms as she lay with her back on his chest, even though it wasn't possible. To wake up and give her a sweet morning kiss… His mind began blending with her unconscious one and he wrapped it with intense love while he was trying to wake up a missing part of his soul. He whispered quietly to her to come back to him as he ran his fingers over her exposed soft skin.

He reached out and started rubbing her sensitive ear, moving his fingers back and forth. He noticed her heartbeat increased with each stroke. Every glide sent a strong impulse to the unconscious mind, trying its best to reach its destination. The rider's mood began to sour once again as his probing and caress didn't yield the expected results. Despite the dragoness' body responding to his action, her beautiful mind remained in darkness.

"_Please, wake up…" _

Eragon embraced her head and pressed it close to his chest as he rocked back and forth in place. The young man could hear his fast heartbeat in his own ears, it seemed like his entire body was shaking from it. He closed his eyes and leaned his cheek on top of her head, fighting off his climbing anxiety.

"_Wake up…" _a tear ran down his face.

The entire place became silent.

He heard a sharp inhale and then there was a subtle jerk of her head. As suddenly as lightning, Saphira regained consciousness. Like a person lost in the dark, trying to find the one she missed for so long her mind brushed the rider's one barely. Eragon rushed her with his thoughts, grabbing her soul with all the loving care he could muster, not able to keep his excitement and relief back.

"_Saphira! You're back!" _

The dragoness almost uttered a tired and painful grunt, feeling a bit lost as Eragon held her mind with his own in a tight embrace.

"_Litte One… __wha… what happened? My head…" _she said as she struggled to roll on her stomach without leaving her rider's grasp. She doubted she could hold her head aloft herself at this moment anyway. Dull pain resonated in their bond.

"_You hit a tree with your head…" _After a pause, he added_ "you lost consciousness… and …"_

Saphira was silent for a moment, trying to recall the event from her memory. The last thing she could remember clearly was Eragon warning her to get ready for ... something? She looked at the tree with the corner of her eyesight and spotted the missing bark and… her scales? The last part was answered as she felt Eragon caressing her scaleless skin on top of her muzzle.

She was silent for a moment.

"_I was so worried…" _Eragon continued with despair, her silence making him fear the injuries might have affected her mind_. _

"_It aches but I'm fine…" _She leaned into her rider's embrace, looking for comfort._ "Just give me a moment… My Little One…" _she whispered in his mind in a tired but affectionate tone.

She breathed fast, trying to spread air through her body hoping it'd help clear her mind. Saphira pressed her muzzle firmer against her beloved one, looking for safety. Eragon tightened and lessened the hold in a pattern as he swayed slightly. From a distance, it looked like someone was trying to lull a baby to sleep. As he stroked his fingers over her exposed skin, shivers ran through her entire body. Such caresses used to tickle her, but now it was a completely different feeling; she cooed.

The dragoness shifted her muzzle then nestled her nose near Eragon's shoulder. Nostrils widened and shrunk with each breath. Her mind was savouring his scent filling up her lungs. Warmth began spreading from her belly, then slowly it expanded throughout the rest of her body. When it reached her muzzle, it started to soothe away the pain. Her breathing calmed down and slowly she relaxed, despite the faint but noticeable ache.

A few minutes passed, then she felt a sudden urge to repay her rider. Testing her muscles' strength, she carefully twisted her neck. Her Little One reluctantly released her as he watched, judging her moves. Saphira raised her muzzle carefully, then leaned in toward the rider's face. She hovered there, exhaling warm air on Eragon. He looked at her in awe, unsure what she was going to do. From here he could see the area without scales, starting from just right of the bridge of her muzzle and going up to above her eyebrow. Absently, he noticed that the skin was as blue as her scales. Saphira waited till her rider made eye contact. As soon as he did, she let out a soft croon, then leaned her head forward.

She extended her tongue and licked his cheek tenderly using the barbless tip. Her mind entwined with Eragon's in a loving embrace. The dragoness closed her eyes as she let herself be carried away by emotions without paying attention to the world around her. Only her Little One mattered. Soon, she felt his palm on her cheek and such a simple gesture caused warmth that quickly spread to her loins. She couldn't help but began purring and soon she heard Eragon giggle. It gave her an idea. She opened her eyes a bit and licked his neck with a quick tongue swipe. Saphira heard her rider gasp and she giggled in their bond.

The dragoness placed her muzzle on the rider's shoulder and twisted like a cat welcoming its owner. Eragon could feel the deep purr resonating through her body. Seeing Saphira happy made his heart swell. After a moment she curled her neck back, then looked straight into his eyes with those brilliant sapphire eyes. They looked into one another souls with thoughts and emotions flowing through their minds at an incredible rate.

Eragon wanted to experience what he just did with her more often. To express his love for her in such a way, not only through their mind link and reserved gestures. His chest felt like it was going to burst at any moment. The idea formed in his mind closed even from his dragoness, one that he had never considered before. A certain herbalist once told him "an epic romance is in your future, extraordinary… strong enough to outlast empires…" A smile appeared on his face, "She is powerful, wise, and beautiful beyond compare…" as soon as he recalled it, his eyes roamed around his partner-of-mind-and-heart's muzzle, hypnotized by her beauty and soul. Was it possible the one from the prophecy is right in front of him? If so, does he have a chance with such beauty? The last comment left his hidden place as his emotions didn't let him focus fully.

Meanwhile, Saphira had her own moment of reflection. She looked into his eyes full of adoration as her mind basked in the gentle caress of his soul. She closed her eyes savouring it as her purring intensified. At this moment the dragoness felt she could overcome any obstacle that fate throws at her. It was the first time since the departure from Alagaesia that she felt confident, and her Little One is the key to her happiness. "_…such beauty_" she heard through the bond faintly. Her lower abdomen became even warmer and Saphira couldn't help but wiggle her hips and tail… Then she looked at him with loving eyes, taking in his strong posture and gentle facial features that are not entirely human nor elven. He grew to be a handsome male… The excitement in her mind allowed her to ignore the dull pain still lingering in her head. All thanks to her Little One.

Both were lost in their little world as they realised from now on their bond had become even closer than it used to be. It seemed the experience lasted for hours, but soon the beauty of the moment diminished. Still, whatever they felt was imprinted on their memory and soul.

Eragon's mind caught up what he felt and heat began spreading on his cheek.

"_You're welcome… my dear" _he added after a pause_. "I... I'll bring the… deer… I'll be right back" _he said in a hasty voice as he got up.

Saphira tilted her muzzle in confusion, observing his body language and sensing his embarrassment.

"_Don't go too far from me!" _she called after him in a distressed tone as he disappeared behind some bushes. The dragoness grumbled while she was recalling the intimate moment in her mind, her thoughts got more clear and she started to wonder if she did something wrong. Still, they both felt good, sharing the moment of intimacy. She could still feel an intense warmth in her loins and pleasant one in the rest of the body…

The thought of loins made her cease her train of thoughts immediately. Saphira raised her wing as she curled her neck toward her lower abdomen. She looked at it for a few seconds with her mind trying to process what the warmth might mean. Last time she felt like this was when she met … Him…

"_No… It couldn't be that…" _her mood began to sour._ "The old wound is just acting up again…" _she whispered. Sometimes it aches, burns or is intensively warm, every time she had hidden that fact from everyone. Saphira looked back toward the place where her rider went, then lower her muzzle to the ground. Her eyelids dropped as she kept her gaze focussed on nothing.

"_Hurry up, my Little One," _she whimpered.

Meanwhile, Eragon was going through his own turmoil.

He was shaken by the fact that the idea of Saphira becoming the one that was foretold by Angela had even crossed his mind. 'How would that even work?' he thought. The bond between them was remarkably close and strong, but it wasn't meant to cross that line. Was it? He asked himself at once and to his dismay, he felt a strong conflict in his heart. The memory of her sapphire eyes looking at him with adoration didn't help either. The rider felt tense while he was walking toward the carcass of deer and he did his best to avoid revealing his thoughts in their mind bond.

Just when he thought the matter couldn't get any worse, Glaedr spoke up.

"_Well done, Eragon," _the Eldunarii spoke, taking pride in him.

The rider's heart skipped a beat, he felt like he didn't deserve the praise but he chose to not comment on it.

"_I'll do everything for her… I thought… She wouldn't… wake up," _a shudder ran down his spine.

"_We all fear for the fate of our loved ones," _he replied, choosing his words carefully.

Eragon's eyes widened under the influence of the golden dragon's words. He became increasingly aware of Glaedr's curiosity like he had found something that really intrigued him. Then, the Eldunarii withdrew from his mind. The rider decided to just nod in reply, fearing words would reveal his inner conflict.

He finally reached the spot where the deer had fallen. The carcass was still in perfect condition as if the creature was only caught sleeping and would get up and run off at any moment. There were no obvious wounds one would expect from natural hunting, so how did it …?

With a shock, Eragon suddenly remembered what he had done in the heat of the moment when he was rushing as fast as he could to get to Saphira. Suddenly a little nauseated, he found himself swaying slightly, and had to lean against a tree least his legs give out beneath him. What had he done?

"_Is everything alright, young one?_" Glaedr suddenly asked a little worriedly.

"_I … I killed this creature with magic!_" Eragon managed to say.

"_I saw,_" the elder Eldunarii replied. "_A good spell, you should be proud._"

"But I vowed never to kill with a word of death!" Eragon growled at himself. _"I vowed not to take any life this easily … to give everything a fair chance at life."_

"_Right,_" Glaedr replied, suddenly understanding the revelation his young human student had. The elder Eldunarii pondered for a moment, before offering his wisdom to the distressed man. "_It is an honourable ideal, to respect all life enough not to cast it aside without thought. However, in this instance__,__ I feel that you have not done anything wrong._"

"_What do you mean, Elbrithil?"_ Eragon asked.

"_I saw what happened,_" Glaedr reminded him. "_I felt your emotions, your concern for Saphira. You were worried about her safety … her health. When you spoke the word of death, you were only thinking about her well-being and not your sense of morality. And that is also an honourable action in its own right._"

It was true, Eragon suddenly realized. "I will do anything for her!" he declared, aloud this time.

"_Even break through cultural barriers, it seems!_" Glaedr chuckled, but the comment made Eragon feeling a little cold. It was uncomfortably close to the thoughts he was struggling with as he was walking here. Come to think about it again, what would Glaedr say if he and Saphira ever went that far?

"_Making an easy kill is not something to be ashamed about,_" the elder Eldunari continued, apparently oblivious to Eragon's musings and taking his silence for acceptance. "_But wasting _ _life by leaving the meat uneaten is unforgivable! Saphira is waiting for us._"

"_Yes, Elbrithil!"_ Eragon replied, actually feeling better about how he had killed the deer. He offered a quick prayer that the animal would find its rest before he lifted it with a grunt and walked back to the dragoness.

_**A/n:** Hello dear readers! Firstly, I apologise for a quite late upload of chapter 3. June was the month of my University exams, therefore, I hadn't had time to finish editing and publish or finish the next chapter of Unchained. I usually aim for 1-month deadline between each chapter but life has other plans as always. Chapter 4 is around 3000 words and I aim for 8000-10000 for a rough draft._

_I hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you think about it in the reviews. I like reading other people's take on stories in general. Have a nice day! :)_

_PS: Special thanks to my friends, Mark and Merc for beta reading :)_

_Edit: The edited version was uploaded 10.07.2019._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Eragon walked through thick foliage with a deer on his back with heavy steps. His muscles were tense from the weight making him place each foot carefully on uneven terrain. At first, it seemed the distance wasn't large but it took him a few minutes to reach Saphira.

The blue dragoness was lying on the ground, pawing at the dirt. She was quiet deep in thoughts as Eragon emerged from behind the trees. The sudden rustle of plants made her muzzle snap to the source of the noise suspecting danger but her gaze softened immediately as their souls reunited followed by her sweet croon.

"_You're back!" _

Eragon couldn't help but smile. "I am! See what I brought you." He dropped the deer on the grass in front of her.

The dragoness growled in appreciation, feeling the rumble in her empty belly. Eragon saw her shaking limbs as she tried to get up. Suddenly, he heard a draconic yelp as her muscles gave in and she hit the ground with a loud thud. She curled her head away from him, trying to save her remaining pride.

"_Wait, let me help you,"_ Eragon spoke softly. He grunted, grabbing the deer again and dropped it near her front paws. Then he stepped back.

"_Thank you…"_ Saphira said quietly, trying to find her courage to look back at him.

The view of him toying with his palms made her tilt her head to the side in confusion. She glanced at carcass he brought, then it just clicked in her mind.

"_Oh… You used magic, didn't you?" _

"Yeah…" He ran palm through his hair. _"I… did."_

"_I'm sorry, I know how difficult it is for you…"_ she dropped her gaze.

"_No, don't worry about it. I just wanted you to have something to eat."_ He looked straight into her eyes, his own eyes gleaming. Saphira could feel his confidence across their bond, like her Little One would be ready to do that again if he had to. Many thoughts were going through her mind about what it could mean as she growled quietly. Her warble made Eragon drop his gaze. He found it difficult to look into her eyes and he shifted his sight to the carcass instead. The dragoness sensed the rising tension through his body as the feelings in their bond became darker and darker.

Trying to comfort him, she reached out and swiped her tongue over his cheek, silencing his worries. She went even further by nipping his jaw and growling softly, sending feelings of gratitude across the bond. Eragon tensed but quickly gave in to her affection as his face brightened with a genuine smile. She curled her head back to brush his cheek gently.

"_It was good catch too. Maybe I should let you hunt for me instead,"_ she said playfully.

"_I wouldn't have minded it…"_

Saphira knew he tried to be as casual about it as possible, but the way faint crimson appeared on his cheeks said the opposite.

"_How sweet of you… but… next time no magic, only your strength of arms and mind."_ She made her point by nipping his arm gently, then she paused.

"_Are you sure you'd have been fine with going back to hunting? Since our training with Oromis and Glaedr, you have never considered it."_ She pushed her nose against his chest as their eyes met.

Eragon reached out his palm and started rubbing Saphira's exposed skin on top of her muzzle. The dragoness shivered from the delicate touch reminding her she would wear that scar for a while, however, it didn't seem to be too bad…

"_Today's accident made me realise you're worth giving up my old morals."_ Before she could comprehend his words he added. "Go on, enjoy your meal before it gets cold."

The rider stepped back, giving her some space. She lingered for a moment, staring at him with her jaws parted. He walked to her side and slipped under her wing, choosing his usual spot to rest. Saphira glanced under her wing; he already embraced one of his dreamlike trance. Then, the rumble in her stomach reminded her she had not yet eaten anything the whole day.

She dug her teeth deep in the deer's skin and yanked out a big chunk of flesh before gulping it entirely. The flavor of blood and flesh spread across her tongue, urging her to get more. She kept licking fluids from her muzzle as she devoured her meal. Without resistance, she gave in her instincts. The peaceful scenery was disturbed by the snarls of a hungry dragoness, accompanied by the wet ripping of flesh and splashing of blood.

As the biggest hunger was sated, her mind began regaining control of her will to enjoy the meal truly.

"_Mmm… Eragon did well…" _she said licking her scaly chops._ "I wonder if he would actually hunt for me … I hope so…"_ The dragoness felt the warmth spreading through her body, soothing the faint pain she still felt in her head. The idea of her Little One bringing her this meal made her heart swell. Saphira couldn't help but croon in the most melodic way possible and with long exhale she went back to her meal.

…..

Eragon's irises widened in the dim cave corridor illuminated by the faint blue light of dwarven lanterns. Usually, such places made people nervous despite light helping leading the way but he knew this place well. Each step echoed from stone walls as the rider got closer and closer to the main living chamber. In the air, he could smell the scent of earth and grass mixed with mixed with a familiar fragrence he associated with home and safety. Soon, there were enough lanterns lighting the path so he could spot every scar and edge of stones. At last Eragon entered the main chamber. In the middle, there was a bowl-like pit filled with a mattress and pillows some of which were ripped open, had been scattered around in complete chaos … The grin appeared on the rider's face as he moved his gaze to other things. A few bookshelves stood in the corner, essential to sort the sheer amount of scrolls he had to read through more often than he wished. A desk, a chair, and everything needed for the leader of Dragon Riders to do his scrollwork. Not far away was a cooking pot where he prepared meals for himself and sometimes for his Dear One.

A bit deeper inside, his sight locked onto the entrance to the smaller chamber on the right, illuminated by the gentle glow of lanterns. His face relaxed feeling warm gusts of air coming from the room, as his mind started to wonder about the past events that had led him to this moment. Pride spread across his body assuring him it was worth it.

The rider closed his eyes letting his mind absorb what was around him. Steps as quiet as gentle breeze disturbed the peaceful scenery, clicks of polished talons resonated from the corridor. Eragon stood on tip of toes eager to find out what was going to happen, pretending he wasn't aware of her approach.

He opened his eyes, noticing a big shadow in front of him. Before he could do anything else, the barbed tongue did a long swipe on the back of his neck sending shivers down his spine. Then he felt another one closer to his cheek as the silence of the chamber was replaced by sounds of deep affectionate croons.

….

The gasp left Eragon's mouth as he snapped out of daydream trance. The outside world was obscured by the semi-transparent wings and a gentle gust of wind and birds' songs reminded him where he was. Soon his eyes locked onto Saphira's, who had curled her head below her wings after she finished her meal some time ago.

Blue eyes looked at him with an intense gaze.

"_Hello,"_ she said in a shy manner.

"_Hey… I see you liked the deer a lot,"_ a giggle left his mouth, making the dragoness puzzled.

"_Let me show you"_. Saphira received a picture of herself with dried blood covering the sides and top of her muzzle where she couldn't reach with her tongue.

"_Oh… Sorry,"_ she let out throaty grunt, preparing to leave comfortable position.

"Lay still, I'll help you."

The rider took out a small tissue from his pocket, giving it a critical look. It should be enough. With little space under her wings, he had to move on all fours to reach her head, making him feel a bit silly. He could already feel the dragoness' amusement in their bond.

"_This's embarrassing,"_ he thought, crawling awkwardly toward her.

"_Hmm… I think it's cute,"_ her eyes brightened at the sight.

"_Hush…" _his cheeks became rose-tinted.

"_Don't hush me Rider." _

"_Fine." _

She opened her jaws in the best attempt at a smile and the sight made Eragon's gaze soften.

When they were face to face, the rider gathered water from the ground using a simple spell to wet his tissue. Balancing precariously beneath the wing, he began to work scraping the dried blood from her scales. It came out relatively easily without the need to put much pressure in each stroke. However, her exposed skin was a different case though.

"This might tickle a bit," he warned her.

The first swipe made her muscles tense, but she remained still. Then Eragon changed the pressure, trying something different this time and soon he saw on the edge of his sight Saphira lowered her eyelids in pure bliss.

"_Mhmm…_" a dreamy voice resounded in his mind, making a grin appear on his face.

The rider gave her a few minutes of tender caress, even though her muzzle was already clean. He couldn't bring himself to stop while he was listening to her soft purring. However, his knees began to protest, thus the rider stopped after a moment. It took a while for Saphira to leave her dream-like state, then she looked up slowly. His wide smile made her reach out to nuzzle his cheek, feeling the warmth spreading in her heart. She curled her head back and flicked her tongue on his nose, her purring increasing in volume momentarily.

"_What's that for?" _He asked playfully as he leaned back to sit on his knees.

Saphira looked deep into his eyes, hesitating for a moment_._

"_For being my caring Little One." _It sounded a bit blunt to her, but she couldn't articulate her feelings clearly.

"_Oh… you deserve the best." _

He replied as casually as he could but red came to his cheek. With unspoken agreement Saphira lifted her wings, letting the rider out and then she settled down more comfortably.

The rider stretched his legs and arms, taking a deep breath thinking about what they shall do now. Before he could contemplate about it, the corner of his eye caught what remained of the blue dragoness' breakfast. Limbs were licked of the flesh to the bone, the soil was red-tinted. Considering the scene, he wondered how he wasn't woken up from his dream trance.

"_Hmm… Maybe I should surprise her with a little 'gift' now and then,_" he thought privately_._

_Saphira tried to curl her head up but sharp pain raced down her neck, stopping her in mid-air._

"_Eragon? What are we going to do now?" _She kept her head low as a swirl of emotion flooded their bond.

The rider's heart pained seeing her like this as he bit inside of his cheek. Instead of replying, he went up to her to place his palm on her muzzle in a soothing manner and wrapped her mind in a caring embrace. He could feel her leaning into his touch as tension began leaving her body a little.

"_What would you like to do my dear?" _

"_I…" _She dropped her gaze_. "I still feel dizziness in my head, I can't trust my wings." _She whimpered_. "So we are stuck here, for now. I am sorry," _she let out a quiet whine_. _

The rider tightened his mind embrace around hers_. "It was an accident, I don't blame you for anything," _he rubbed his thumb over her scales.

"_Let's go to explore around the lake, we will find a cozy place to set up the camp and spend the night here. Just you and me." _

"_And the Eldunarii…"_

He nodded_._

"_We will keep eye on you during the night, Bjartscular," Glaedr chimed in._

"_Alright, but…" _she paused_, "but you sleep with me." _Then she held her breath.

Eragon grinned._ "Of course!" _he leaned forward and pecked her nose before she could react.

Saphira pulled her limbs in underneath her in preparation to get up, so he took a few steps back to give her some space. She took a moment to test the strength of her muscles before, with a grunt, she stood up again. Folding her wings neatly to her side proved more challenging, however. She ended up focusing so much on the limbs that didn't want to respond properly that she didn't notice herself leaning too much weight on her left (front) paw. It buckled and with a panicked yelp, she nearly toppled over. Fortunately, Eragon rushed in to support her before she crashed to the ground again. _"Take it easy…" _he whispered into her mind as they began taking a few steps forward.

"_It feels like… I don't have… have control over my body…" _she stumbled with words.

"_Shh… It'll pass soon." _He rubbed his palm on her sapphire scales in a calming manner.

„_For now, let's just take it one step at a time. Okay?"_

„_Okay"_ she replied in a soft voice. Together they started to walk back in the direction of Talita.

…

The pair were walking through the forest side by side, focusing on their bond and path ahead. A gentle breeze cooled their skin as the scenery helped to calm their nerves. Their minds intertwined with each other as their souls observed the world through both pair of eyes. It helped the dragoness traverse through foliage and avoid treacherous dimples, however, there were moments when the rider had to push onto her side quickly when she lost her footing. At one time it didn't work, forcing him to move away lest he be crushed under her. Saphira winced in pain as her shoulder absorbed the impact. She got up with a loud huff, but Eragon could feel her embarrassment. He quickly healed the spot, hoping such an accident wouldn't happen again.

Suddenly, they stumbled onto something akin to a clearing in the forest, only ... it was long and narrow. Though wide enough for two horse carts to drive alongside each other, it seemed to stretch on forever, disappearing from view between the thick foliage of the forest. _"Hmm… that's strange…" _Saphira thought as she curled her neck down to scent the ground_, "It can't be natural, don't you think Little One?" _

„_No, it can't."_ Eragon considered the unnatural phenomenon for a moment. _„It is almost like a road."_

„But we haven't seen any signs of even a small settlement, much less one big enough to justify such a large road."

„_I know,"_ Eragon admitted with an unsure sigh. _„But, would you mind to dig here a bit? Just to make sure."_

Her paw removed the top layer of dirt, revealing old cobblestone. Everyone tensed up.

"_Someone had to make this road!" _The pair replied in shock at the same time_. _

"_Elbrith! We should follow it to find out where it leads! Maybe we will find people here!" _The rider beamed with excitement. Saphira flexed her talons, watching dirt falling from her toes. Her gaze shifted on the cobblestone and thickness of dirt's layer.

"_Calm down, we can't be sure there will even be people, though it's a good id… " _Glaedr began.

"_This road hadn't been used for a very long time…" _Saphira interrupted their conversation_, "it could have been dozens of years since a human, dwarf or elf walked down this road… Whoever used it could be g… Ah!" _She curled her head down, exposing her fangs as the bond was flooded with sharp pain.

"_Are you alright?!" _Her clenched eyes opened finding riders' one looking at her worriedly.

"_My head… It hurts…" _she took a deep breath_. "What's going on with me, Elbrith?" _

"_You have a concussion, Saphira. Sometimes it appears as a sharp headache when you think to intensely or your mind is overwhelmed by stimulus. It could have been worse than that without Eragon's immediate help. There was a chance you wouldn't have woken up…" _

The dragoness fell silent locking her eyes with her Little One. She tried to say something but failed each time. Instead, she pushed her muzzle forward, and placing its tip on his cheek, her tongue slipped through her chops and start caressing his skin gently.

Eragon gasped, feeling her mind embracing him tightly and her entire self extended into almost every corner of his soul. His chest felt like it's going to explode as the heat began to spread from his heart. The rider clenched his finger holding her muzzle still but couldn't stop a quiet moan escaping his lips as he whimpered her name.

Glaedr and rest of Eldunarii watched the exchange, feeling the emotions emanating from their bond in awe. Calling her name again, Eragon managed to free himself enough from her grasp to get his words to reach her mind.

"_I love you too, Saphira, but let me get control over my body," _he spoke up weakly, but she cut him off with a possessive hum instead. However, as he tried to leave her grasp again, he noticed a growing pain emanating from her. With a gasp, she released her rider and whimpered lowly_. _

"_Era… make it stop…" _she dug her claws into the ground, her eyes clenched tightly. Eragon joined her mind, trying to take some of the pain on him. He brought her head to his chest and began caressing her ears gently.

"_Shh… breath slowly," _he whispered.

They stood there hugging one another as the dull ache lessened over time. The rider noticed her muscles relax, letting him hold the weight of her muzzle. Her nostrils widened with each slow breath, taking her rider's scent of comfort and safety in. After a while, Eragon raised her head to his level . Once again he could see her crying-like expression as sapphire eyes locked with his.

"_Will it ever stop?" _She asked weakly.

"_It will, I promise. You just need some rest." _He sent her thoughts of comfort and reassurance through their bond as he embraced her soul. Without turning his gaze away he wondered what to do now.

"_Elbrith, what shall we do?" _Everyone fell silent for a moment.

"_We must go back to Talita but we can follow the path south for time being since it's the way we need to take to go back to the ship. I don't want you to overexert yourself by flying, Bjartskular, so we continue on foot. We will take as many breaks as you need, " _The golden Eldunari was aware that the blue dragoness wouldn't be able to take off for some time yet. It's still unknown how long her condition would be affecting her._ "How is your head, youngling?" _He asked softly.

Saphira was watching her Little One like it was the last time she would have ever seen him. The warm brown eyes were looking at her, expressing the care and love he felt for her. A small smile appeared on his face as he did his best to soothe her nerves and pain_. "I can go through this with you…" _she thought privately. Strengthened by her resolve, she curled her muzzle back a bit to bump it on his cheek gently.

"_I think it's alright," _she wrapped Eragon's mind in a gentle, loving hug. His body tensed but then relaxed as it basked in her presence. He reached out to guide her muzzle onto his shoulder and when their bodies met, a low purr vibrated through the air_, "Lead the way, my Little One." _

…

The old road seems to have been built sturdy since it looked like it would never be overgrown by trees. Indeed, there wasn't even a single bush on it, just grass. The pair were walking down the path, listening to the chirps of birds and the gentle rustle of leaves. The sky was blocked by the trees' canopies, letting rays of light shine through a thick layer of leaves. The scenery made the dragoness relax in her rider's grasp, enjoying his gentle touch on her scales as well as on her soul. She measured her steps carefully to avoid toppling over or overtake her Little One. From time to time she lifted her muzzle up to look around and scent air, keeping her guard high enough to protect him despite her poor condition. The faint pain still lingered in her head, reminding her to keep things slow. After scanning their surroundings she always came back to put her muzzle on his shoulder, letting out soft purr like this time.

Eragon kissed the side of her muzzle gently and her purr only intensified as an electric jolt ran from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail. Observing her reaction made the rider grin widely and gave her a good rub on her nose.

"_Mmm… I don't think I have ever told you how nice it feels" _Saphira whispered in his mind_. _

"_Your purr can't hide that from me. I love seeing you happy and relaxed."_

"_I chose wisely," _she replied and nuzzled his neck tenderly. Looking back toward the road ahead, she added after a pause_: "do you think this path leads to somewhere? I can't tell if it will take days to reach… whatever was left of who built this road, " _she finished in a bit worrying tone.

"_It's hard to tell, you had a point saying the road could have been here under the dirt for decades. My excitement got better of me, as always." _Saphira snapped her eyes at Eragon, hearing the little praise.

"_That's why you have me, my Little One," _she added, a little of her old self-confidence resurfacing. It made Eragon's heart soared to see her old mannerisms return_. _

"_Yes, yes, you're my logical part of my brain." _He replied, playing along with her joke.

"_As long as I remember," _she exposed her fangs in the best attempt to smile_._

Eragon pushed her muzzle away playfully, gaining a sweet growl from her in response. The rider felt happy seeing the mocking side of her personality still intact, which was a good sign after the accident. Maybe after a good night rest, she would be ready to fly again. However, they still had a long distance to cover on foot before they could seek shelter for the night. There did not seem to be any caves nearby, thus they would need to improvise like in the old days. The thought of the past when it was only him and Saphira crossed his mind.

He remembered her old hiding spot in the forest where she always waited for him to come the next morning. When she was bigger, she found a place where she could lay down for the night protected from the wind, and bushes providing cover from curious animals. During a visit, the rider sometimes found her still resting, but when she had started to grow larger than him, she just lifted her wings, inviting him to cuddle with her. It was something he had always accepted eagerly. Then she would wrap her muscular paws around him and they would just lay there for several minutes. Eragon recalled these moments fondly, putting him in an optimistic mood for the rest of the journey.

As they walked down the path, Saphira listened to her Little One thoughts, making her heart warm from the old cheerful memories when life was so much simpler than these days. No wars, no Vardens or eggs-destroyer, only him and her enjoying life together. Then the Razacs came, flipping their world upside down and pushing them onto the path of fear, duty, and responsibility for the fate of all races in Alagaesia. The blue dragoness's mind went back to those moments when their lives were put in danger and the constant fear that the next battle may be their last one. As her mind continued bringing up all these memories, adrenaline began to flow in her veins and affecting her entire body. Her mind raced through memories in quick succession, one after the other from the beginning.

Suddenly, a new memory appeared in their bond making the dark thoughts clouding her mind stop. The discovery of their true names at Doru Areaba. Saphira remembered she was the first to find out hers but it took more time for Eragon to figure out his. However, when they both shared them with one another, it was the most wonderful moment of her life. She didn't believe someone could declare love to another in a more significant way than through one's true name. At that moment, she knew her Little One loved her with his entire heart. Her mind was in euphoric ecstasy, letting her forget about the dark reality they were in. It was the push she needed to go forward, otherwise one day her mask of confidence could have been shattered in the worst moment possible. With that thought, she reached out to nuzzle the back of Eragon's neck gently, lingering for a moment to take his scent and hum softly. He hugged her soul tenderly in response.

"_Speaking of love…" _she thought privately as she curled her head back and locked her sapphire eyes on her partner-of-mind-and-heart. The dragoness recalled the woman who tried to seduce her Little One… The memory alone made her expose her teeth a little but then her attention went to his miserable attempts to court the elven princess back in the day. She had felt the burning desire in him for Arya since she was freed from Durza and it only became stronger while she had been traveling with them to Du Weldenvarden. She knew it would have ended up badly for him considering the age gap was simply too large but he didn't listen. Maybe visiting the elven forest made the matter worse? Then her train of thoughts stopped yet again.

The night when she heard that faint song in the air making her blood slowly boil with heat. She tried to fly away from the source with no success until she gave up and landed in the clearing. To her surprise, a pair of deers walked passed her and started their mating ritual right in front of her. The dragoness' mind quickly connected one with another and while she was watching the scene unfold in front of her, the instinct at the back in her head urged her to take action. Saphira remembered that moment very well, she quickly took off and flew to the one her instincts told her to find. She flew to her Little One.

The dragoness paused her journey to the past, trying to digest what had happened back then. She snapped her eyes back towards Eragon, staring back at him for a moment.

"_It was a mating spell-song, as I was told later, but… why, to all places I could have flown, I went back to him?" _she said to herself deep in thought.

She was about to dismiss it as magic fooling her senses, but was it really that? The dragoness recalled the bliss she felt as his smooth palms touched her muzzle as soon as she landed. The warmth in her lower abdomen only intensified in his presence as she released an amorous croon, but then that wonderful feeling had disappeared when the elven princess used a spell to clear her _drunk_ mind…

Her eyes kept looking at her Little One walking in front of her. His muscles flexed with each step and a good head of hair moved with the wind, hypnotizing the dragoness. The same heat began to spread in her veins, reaching each corner of her body and making her lower abdomen burn. As an amorous croon was about to leave her throat, her mind made her stop in her tracks. Her eyes widened and for a moment her jaw lowered in shock. But she quickly regained her composure and hurried to catch up with her rider before he noticed something was wrong, sealing off part of her mind to think… alone.

"_But… It can't be… A Dragon and a rider were never meant… to be together that way…" _she spoke slowly, trying to wrap her mind around the concept of that kind of relationship.

She darted her eyes around, then they slowly looked down to the ground in front of her. The dragoness thought it is unnatural, dragons are suppoused to pair with other dragons and humans with other humans or el… Then she fell silent and looked up at Eragon who didn't realise what his dragoness was going through. Her breathing increased as her mind considered the possibility her Little One would have spent less and less time with her if Arya had arrived with _Him_… The quietest whine left her throat as her heart told her what she should do, but is it right? She felt torn and lost.

"_What is on your mind, youngling?" _Glaedr's caring voice interrupted her dwelling on the topic.

"_I thought about the past, the present… and the future…" _she said dismissively.

"_You two had been through a lot together," _he began, knowing she tried to avoid answearing the question_,"… for better and for worse. You faced obstacles many would not have been able to overcome. But you did." _

Noticing her darkening thoughts he quickly added_, "I know, Saphira, that you are going through a difficult period and everything seems to be hopeless but you have him, your rider. Like in the past he will help you to go through it."_

"_I…" _words got stuck in her throat as she released an anxious growl, making Eragon turn around, revealing his calm face. She looked up at him and her gaze softened a bit.

The golden Eldunari hummed_, "You don't need to tell me what troubles you, my youngling, but know one thing…" _He paused, gathering his thoughts_, "I… saw how you interact with Eragon when he tried to cheer you up, I don't need my real eyes to see how happy and safe you feel in those moments. I could feel it. Maybe, get closer to your rider, spend time together, cherish one another and soon the weight you carry on your wings would be gone." _He finished with an encouraging tone.

"_I… I will try." _She didn't know what else to say.

"_I don't think you will regret it" _he hummed in approval_, "just follow your heart." _Then, he withdrew from her mind.

Coming back to reality, as Saphira met Eragon's questioning eyes, she released a friendly croon, trying to soothe her rider's worries. He gave her a genuine grin with a gentle brush in their bond, warming her mind. Then he turned his gaze back to the path ahead. However, instead of carrying on, Saphira still lingered on the last words of her teacher privately.

"'_Just follow your heart…' But is what my heart trying to tell me true or…not?" _The dragoness whimpered in confusion and then fell silent. Her jaw dropped in realisation that her Master may suspect what she was thinking about just a moment before he spoke up. An irrational fear of being looked down by him entered her mind as her claws started to leave deeper gushes in the dirt with each step. _"No… No, he wouldn't…" _she tried to convince herself, recalling how caring his voice tone was… almost parent-like… and the tension left her body slowly. Still, she kept in mind what her teacher may have implied. With that aside, for now, Saphira focused on coming up with an idea of how to check the truth about what her heart told her without making her relationship with Eragon… _uncomfortable._

Her mind recalled memories about how she used to show affection to Firnen… She clenched her jaws by just the thought of him, but she dwelled on it further. She remembered how they had rubbed each other bodies, licks and nips at each other's jawlines in the way she could have described as human kissing, draping wings above one another during sleep and lots of cuddles. The dragoness absentmindedly went further recalling a more… intimate way of showing affection, but quickly shook her head to get rid off these thoughts.

Looking from a different perspective, licks and nips weren't something extraordinary considering she did such things countless time in the past with her Little One…_ "Maybe… It is what I should try…" _she whispered as she locked her gaze on the rider in front of her_. "If…If my heart had spoken the truth…," _she was afraid saying it out loud_ "would he return my feelings?" _Her heart skipped a beat and her mind become a storm of thoughts. So much so that she started sensing a faint pain emerging inside her head yet again.

„_One step at a time, Saphira,"_ she reminded herself. Then, she suddenly realized that she had debated with herself for much too long. Worrying that Eragon may have noticed, she quickly hastened to his side and to hide her inner turmoil form him, she rested her muzzle on his shoulder in an unspoken request for affection. Eragon only smiled and patted her muzzle and for a moment, Saphira closed her eyes in bliss as she delighted in the feeling of his smooth fingers gliding over her exposed skin. They continued down the road in contented silence, just enjoying each other's company._…_

The pair continued walking down the path for the next hour without disturbance, enjoying each other presence in their bond. Sometimes they stopped to let their feet rest for a moment but a few minutes later they took the road again. The greenery began to grow thinner and something strange could be seen between the trees, like walls of plants.

"_Look at this Saphira, this can't be natural!"_

"_Wait!" _She called him back, but he already ran up to the place.

Eragon grabbed some of the leaves and pull them back, revealing an old, dark stone surface. If it had any colour, it had faded away a long time ago. The rider looked around, spotting similar shapes further away also obscured by vegetation and quickly came to conclusion.

"_We found an abandoned village or town… or what is left of it," _he said to his partner and the Eldunarii.

The area was overgrown by trees and bushes to the point they wouldn't have been able to spot it from the air he thought.

Saphira circled around the structure that looked like it might have been a fragment of a gate, trying to scent it. She stepped closer, but as her paw touched the ground, she heard a loud crunch and quickly pulled her paw back. She lowered her muzzle to investigate but suddenly she froze. Noticing his dragoness reaction Eragon walked to her side quickly. The pair of holes in a human skull stared back at them, as if accusing them of interrupting its final rest. It missed the top which had been crushed by Saphira's weight. The rider placed the palm on his partner's neck absentmindedly

"_Whoever used to live here is gone probably" _the sorrowful tone of Glaedr's voice broke the silence._ "Judging by ruins and remains we just found, someone must have attacked the village and wiped it out. It seems… There was no one to bury the bodies too…"_

"_Could it have been Galbatorix?" _Eragon asked as he looked around, trying to grasp the scale of damage to the village.

"_I think not. According to what Oromis told me, the traitor has never moved beyond borders of Alagaesia after he defeated all the dragon riders and killed the dragons who didn't want to obey him…" _he paused_. "It happened so fast…" _Eragon could feel the sadness in his voice.

"_Should we… bury the skeleton?" _the rider asked. It didn't feel right to him to leave it like that.

"_Leave it be, we shall not disturb the dead in their eternal rest..." _His voice turned to whisper.

The rider figured its time to move on, turning his attention to Saphira. She was frozen in place and Eragon noticed she still holding her shaking paw in the air. The dragoness starred at the inner side of the paw, flexing her toes to get rid of the shards of bones. He quickly reached out with his mind and found her mind darkening, catching glimpses of battles they fought against the Empire from her perspective. They were so many, he couldn't call her with his voice and as he took a step towards her, one vivid vision leaked into his mind. Saphira was charging at one of Galbatorix's soldiers in fury. She launched him with her head into the air and he landed far away with all his bones broken. Saphira snarled in a rage and pounced on him, smashing his skull like it was nothing. She paused for split second, then the smell of blood entered connected minds and she continued the charge against more soldiers. Her only thought was to kill everyone who could threaten him…

He withdrew from her mind sharply and grabbed her paw quickly. The dragoness almost jumped, startled by her rider. Eragon began massaging her paw the best he could as he looked up, trying to catch her gaze. Her body was ready to flee at any faint sign of danger and he knew it. He could feel tensed muscles under her scales and hear her rapid breaths.

"_Shh… you are safe with me… there is nothing to worry about…" _he tried to soothe her anxiety with a calm voice, continuing the gentle massage. Saphira took her paw away and wrapping it around him, pressed him to her chest as best as she could. Her head curled down, pressing it to his chest as she released a distressed whine from her throat. He could see her eyes full of sorrow meeting his own. As the rider joined her mind, sending thoughts of comfort and love, he began rubbing her cheeks tenderly.

"_Know, you are still my Saphira regardless of what happened in the past,"_ he whispered in her mind_. "I'm here for you whenever you'll need me". _

Trusting his instinct, he leaned forward and kissed her muzzle gently. He could feel her mind stop for a second, unsure what to do but soon she pulled back a little and flicked her tongue against his lips, followed by licks on his jawline. She buried her nose in the crook of his neck, whimpering sadly. He parted his lips still feeling the ghost-like touch of her tongue. Absentmindedly, he licked his lips and got the taste of her saliva. Eragon didn't find it bad, it was almost neutral to him in taste… Meanwhile, Saphira was wrapping her soul around his, seeking comfort. He closed his eyes trying to focus entirely on the dragoness.

"_Thank you…" _she whispered as she tightened her embrace_, "I never want to lose you… I never want to go through that ever again… so many battles, so much blood to save the one dear to me… But if I have to… I will do it again…and again…" _she struggled to keep sobs inside her throat.

"_I love you, my dear, I will do the same for you if I have to. Fortunately, the war is over, my beautiful, and we can start enjoying life like we used to back in your early days in the Spine. Just you and me, like in the old days." _He rubbed her ear tenderly.

"_I would love to, Little One…" _her heart began to feel like it was going to burst with hope as her mind recalled that joyful moment of her life_. "Can you… promise me that? _She locked her gaze with his.

"_Of course, I promise" _he answered in the ancient language, and then he added_ "We will have a happy life together," _and brushed her cheek in affection.

Saphira hummed softly, nuzzling his neck tenderly_. _

Little did they know they kept their minds open and one golden Eldunari and few other listened to their conversation. Glaedr rumbled in realisation, knowing they both may need guidance in the future and he made mental a note to reach out to a few friends he used to know back in the old days of The Dragon Riders Order.

"_Are you alright, youngling?" _Gleadr asked the dragoness in the most comforting tone he could muster. He observed the pair lost in their own world for a moment before Saphira curled her head up, still looking at her rider.

"_I think I feel a little better, Elbrith" _she cooed calmly._ "Though… I am not sure if it will last."_

"_I am glad. Remember, one step at the time, Bjartskular, and you will overcome the nightmares you face." _He paused for a moment unsure, then carefully embrace her mind in a comforting embrace. He felt the dragoness tense up, but then she relaxed as Eragon joined in_. _

"_We all care about you, Saphira." _The rider's voice spread across their bond.

After a moment they left her mind, leaving the dragoness surprised by the affection her teacher showed to her. As far as she had remembered, Elbrith was reserved in showing his feelings to her in such a manner. None the less, she brushed his mind in gratitude.

A thought crossed Glaedr's mind. Since their arrival in the village, it became darker with little light shining through trees. If they continued walking down the road, the night would have caught them in the middle of nowhere with no safe place to set up a camp_. _

"_My friends, let's find a place to stay for the night. The sun is setting and soon it would be too dark for us to continue the trip… and we all need rest." _

"_Maybe… we could find a warehouse where we could set the camp?" _Saphira suggested in a shy manner. Then, feeling encouragement from her rider, she continued. _"The village seems to be large enough to have one… The walls will protect us from wind and curious animals."_

"_Great idea," _Glaedr rumbled in approval_. "If we don't find one, we will take the first big house we find." _Then he turned his attention to the rider._ "Eragon, you will take care of protection wards, just in case. Also… We have forgotten about our friends on Talita…"_

Eragon's widened in shock, feeling completely embarrassed about neglecting his duty to report to Umaroth_. "I completely forgot about informing them what is going on, I am sorry Elbrith…" _

"_We all had enough things to worry about, I can not blame you, Eragon but… Umaroth-Elda won't be happy about it."_

"_I know…" _the rider finished_. _

"_Well, let's get to work before it gets completely dark,"Glaedr rumbled. _

"_Naturally." _He turned to the road ahead, taking a few steps but then he realised Saphira wasn't on his side. He turned back toward her and raised his brow in question_. _

Saphira spoke up in his mind_, "I checked if we are alone here. Except for small critters, we are the only inhabitants of the village." _

Eragon smacked himself mentally, another thing he forgot to do._ "I will place these wards anyway." _

"_I know you will,_" she rumbled sweetly as she walked up to him.

The dragoness looked at him with an odd look, then used her muzzle to turn him around then placed her head on his shoulder firmly. His arm moved on its own accord, grasping her muzzle and making Saphira hum in approval. It seemed she really liked it, the rider thought as a wide grin appeared on his face and began walking down the road. It must have looked funny from the distance like he was leading a giant horse.

"_I am not one of those four-legged smelling creatures," _she jabbed in a playful tone_. _

"_Of course not, my Queen of The Sky," _Eragon giggled in their bond.

"_That is right." _He couldn't help but peck her muzzle, hearing a gentle growl coming from her throat.

…_._

The pair walked down the wide street overgrown by bushes and grass. On each side, there were ruins of buildings, walls or whatever was left of them. It looked like the destruction affected the outer areas of the village the most. As they continued down the path, they noticed a different type of ruins. Eragon and Saphira looked at sharp edges of stone pillars pointing up the darkening sky, suggesting two-floor buildings had been here. Some of them still had fragments of a second-floor but they were only nearby supporting beams. The couple felt like they were accused of indifference by the ruins around them.

Eragon spotted a more-preserved building on the right side, just before the road widened in front of them. His curiosity urged him to come closer. The front and the rest of the building was more or less intact and its style suggested it was designed by humans. The rider frowned when he realised there was still a faint tone of brown paint on the elevation. Other ruins had lost its colours a long time ago. He noticed Saphira looking inside through broken window but lack of light made it harder to spot anything interesting for her.

The rider stood in front of doorframe hesitating to step inside. After Saphira sated her curiosity she looked at her Little One. Her eyes showed signs of exhaustion even though she was ready to do whatever he would have asked for. He sighed deeply, these ruins wouldn't leave any time soon. As he turned around, his palm glided over the wall and felt a deep scar in stone. It made the rider pause, glancing at the scar back. A few questions appeared in his mind, however, it was not time to investigate. It was getting dark already.

The pair entered the large area without ruins. They could spot them further away between trees but one caught their attention in particular, something they were looking for.

The warehouse was in the middle of the ruins of the village as they suspected. It still had remains of the roof with holes where the last rays of daylight went through. The rider walked with Saphira on his side while their curious eyes darted around taking the scenery in.

The space between each wall was enough for Saphira to turn around and they were at least 3 times longer than she. The roof was tall enough for her to not crouch to get in, thankfully. Moss and grass claimed structures made by a man, making the pair feel like they are surrounded by greenery from every direction. In front, Eragon spotted a room by the end of the building with a hole in the wall where there must had been a window a long time ago. The roof was the most intact there and it wasn't overgrown by any plants. Maybe it was some kind of office he thought, where people checked documents of deliveries and organised the cargo. Judging by the size of this place, it used to be an important destination on the merchants' maps. This village could have been a place where merchants stopped to rest, or sell their goods before moving on down their path. It reminded him how it was in Carvahall back in the old days. However, in that case, merchants have spent a day or maybe two before moving back to the main part of Alagaesia. Although, here they must have stayed her longer Eragon thought. Maybe the term village is not appropriate anymore, considering what he saw.

Saphira walked closer to examine the walls, stretching her slim neck to check the roof above them. The wooden beams seemed to her to still be strong enough, despite years of being exposed to rain and wind. After making sure the roof wouldn't collapse on them during the night, she growled in approval and locked her gaze on her Little One standing right in front of the room.

She walked up to him silently and touched the back of his neck, brushing him gently. His sweet scent sent a pleasurable shiver through her body as eyelids dropped a bit. Eragon turned around, a bit surprised. She couldn't help but gush warm breath on his face with a smirk in her eyes.

"_I think it is a good place to stay for the night…" _she spoke up in dreamy voice_ "…right here." _She scrapped the floor with paw where she stood.

Eragon looked into her eyes feeling her content with a faint tint of excitement in their bond. He cupped her muzzle lightly, then saw her close her eyes for a moment, letting out low purr from her throat. The rider clenched his teeth; he could sense her happiness, but his heart was conflicted with his mind. The former urged him to give in to the moment, but the latter held him back as it recalled Arya all of sudden. He let his palm fall in resignation, making Saphira open her eyes again as her mind reached him_._

"_What is wrong, my Little One?" _she pressed her nose against his chest_. _

"_I…," _he sighed_ "…I have to let others in Alagaesia know what is going on. We haven't talked to them for a week… and I need to talk to Umaroth…" _the rider scratched his lowered head in thought_. _

Saphira knew the message behind his words, she knew him too well for his own good. The remainder of the elven princess caused a spark of irritation and… jealousy in her mind. She quickly brushed the thought away, focusing back on her partner-of-mind-and-heart instead_._

"_It will be fine…" _she licked his cheek gently, then curled her head back._ "You… can always talk with me about it." _

"_I think I should…" _he added in a sad tone_. "I'll grab some wood for the campfire, maybe some fruits on the way… Are you not hungry, I could find something for you?" _He quickly added.

"_No, you don't need to. I'm not hungry, but thank you for asking."_

He nodded at her response then turned around, clenching his palm on his sword's hilt. Saphira closed eyes and embraced his mind in a loving hug, making him stop. A single tear ran down his cheek and he held tightly onto the embrace for a moment, sharing his pain. Reluctantly, he left her warm touch when he suddenly released that he was crying. With a shaking breath, he wiped the tears away with his sleeves and walked outside with firm steps…

…_._

Saphira lay curled on the floor, waiting for her Little One to come back. She could still feel his presence nearby as he was collecting wood for a campfire. Considering how much he already had, it seemed he lingered to come back with his still brooding mood. He stopped a few times to look into some of the more intact ruins, but after finding nothing else than moss and rotten wood he moved on. He needed some time to calm down, she thought. The dragoness looked into the distance, knowing she would need to try to get him to open up about the sensitive matter. She rumbled when her own problem crossed her mind._ "No… my Little One's issue is more important," _she whispered_. "I just need to be there for him as I used to."_

But was she though weeks before leaving Alagaesia? The sudden dreadful thought made her growl. She looked back into her memory, making her realise they had barely spent time together when they weren't on a mission. She chose to stay with Firnen… and Eragon kept trying to woo Arya and it seemed he succeeded… Saphira fell silent, placing her muzzle on the floor in sadness. But then paused; Shouldn't she be happy her partner-of-mind-and-heart found love with the elven princess? Then why did her energy leave her limbs at just the thought of it? She whimpered weakly, then checked on her Little One again; he was finally coming back.

The rider walked into the warehouse with a big pile of branches on his arms and some more floated behind him. He noticed Saphira raising her head to look up at him. She turned her muzzle to the side, letting out a confused growl. He smiled at her weakly, walking up to spot near her bulk and began preparing the fire for the night. The sun already hid behind the horizon so he had to work quickly before the last light of twilight also faded away. He worked in silence feeling the dragoness gaze, as well as her concerned soul in their bond. His hands moved slower and slower as memories started flooding his mind, the palm hovered above the ground with a branch in hand. Eragon shook his head, getting rid off distracting thoughts and quickly finished the campfire. He went up to the saddle's pouches, looking for food but he couldn't bring himself to make eye contact with his beloved dragoness. After he pulled out a loaf of bread, he slumped on the floor, leaning on her right arm and began eating.

"_Saphira? Would you mind?" _he spoke up in a distant voice as he stared at the still unlit campfire.

The dragoness curled her neck to take a look at his emotionless face. With a confirming grunt, she parted her jaws then released small fire stream, setting the branches on fire immediately. The female stared at the flames for a moment hypnotized, before she pulled back. The riders expression was still the same, thus she brushed his mind asking for permission to join his. However, she received no answer, so she began enveloping him with warmth and care. At last, he responded with his own caress of her soul. Saphira began humming a soothing melody she once heard at the Varden's camp, hoping it would help here as well. They were lost in their little world as night claimed the ruins of the village, the peace only being disturbed by the crackling fire and the low tones of dragoness' song.

"_My students?" _Glaedr spoke up, bringing them out of their peaceful trance._ "My apologies…" _Both blinked as they went back to their respective bodies reluctantly_. "We should let.. Umaroth knows where are we and what had happened." _He tried to bring up the matter the most tactful way possible.

"_Oh, right… Yes, Elbrithil." _Eragon replied emotionlessly, then with a sigh he reached out his palm_, "Adurna Risa." _Water began filling up a dimple in the ground, enough to reach the size of a mirror, he released the spell and focused on another one.

"_Draumr kópa ." _The water surface began changing its colours and soon he could see the fury elf staring into the distance. He pushed his thought into the elf's mind. At first, he met an iron wall, but then they were lowered noticing a friendly visitor_. _

"_Argetlman?" _Blodgharm replied letting a worried tone to slip through.

"_Hello, my friend. I need to speak with you and Umaroth-elda." _Feeling urgency in Eragon's voice, the elf decided to hold his own questions.

"_Where are you and Saphira? I was just going to send elves to look for you". _Umaroth spoke up, letting out a growl betraying his irritation and worry.

"_I am sorry, Elbrith. During the hunt, Saphira had a little accident… " _he paused feeling shivers running down his spine,_ "…She is alright but the hit she took to her head was serious enough… _

"… _that we do not know when I could take off and stay in air…" _Saphira finished embarrassed.

There was silence for a moment as the tension filled in the air. "_How did that happen?"_ the elder dragon asked in resignation.

"I am not sure…" the blue dragoness whispered. "_I waited for Eragon's mark to leap on the deer that was running towards me… and from then my memory is missing. I remember waking up with a painful headache in Eragon's arms…"_ she clawed at the floor, leaving deep gashes.

"_She has a concussion, Umaroth-elda," _Glaedr chimed in_ "We couldn't risk taking flight, considering Bjarstkular had problems to walk to begin with_…" His tone showed great concern over the dragoness.

Saphira, hearing these words, tightened her jaws as thoughts of being hopeless and unworthy of being a dragon entered her mind; with a struggle, she tried to push them back_. _

"_I see… good that nothing more serious happened, Bjartskular…" _Umaroth hummed pausing for a moment._ "Where are you?" he asked, _addressing all of them.

"_We found an old road deep in the forest, which lead us to the ruins of a village… or small town … It looks like it was attacked by someone… or something ages ago. We only found rubble and the remains of one humanoid…" _Eragon trailed off, feeling the Eldunari's curiosity.

"_Interesting… Try to investigate and find out about the village as much as you can, Rider. I have a feeling it may be critical to solving the mystery of this land…" _

"_Of course, Elbrith… We don't know how far away we are from Talita. We are only aware she is somewhere in the south, so it may take days to cover the distance if Saphira cannot take… off ", his last_ words barely left his mouth as he realised it may not be a tactful way to mention it.

"_Fair enough, please keep us informed about your progress." _Eragon could tell the Eldunari barely withheld his avalanche of questions. He was thankful Umaroth kept them for himself for now.

"_Naturally." _Both rider and dragoness replied.

"_I will look after them," Glaedr added._

"_I wish you a safe and goodnight, all of you," _Umaroth said_, _then the spell was ended.

Eragon sighed deeply, feeling the energy leaving his muscles as he leaned back on Saphira's arm more. He got up, recalling to his mind the protection wards that must still be placed before all of them could rest for the night. Saphira observed her Little One as he walked from one hole in the walls of the warehouse to another, putting the protection spells in place. She could feel his attention to details, making sure they would have a safe and peaceful night. What worried her though, was his distant mood. It clouded his emotions ever since he had recalled Arya to his mind. She knew it would not be pleasant for him, but he needed to cry his heart out or it would eat him from inside… She paused in realisation, she was in the same situation as her precious rider. A growl left her jaws in slight annoyance._ "Maybe I need such talk as well…? But first… Eragon…" _she thought.

Speaking of who just finished his work and was coming back to her. She looked at him, letting out soft croon and touched his mind tenderly. A faint smile appeared on his face as he returned to the same spot, leaning on her shoulder to stare at the fire as if he was in a trance.

"_Here goes nothing." _Saphira curled her head then brushed his cheek gently_._

"_Yes, my dear?" _Eragon seemed to be lost_._

"_You know you can talk about everything with me, Little One. The good and the bad things."_ She paused to gather her thoughts as she noticed him taking a sharp breath in_. "After you mentioned Arya… you become really upset. Please tell me, what bothers you…". _Saphira flicked her tongue on his cheek lovingly.

"_I… " _he swallowed audibly as his fist clenched, and eyes shone with the emotions boiling inside him. Should he dodge her question again and ignore it like he has been doing since they both left? Or was it like trying to run away from the inevitable? The rider looks at the night sky above them with trembling jaws. _"Whatever was between me and her is gone or… rather it will be gone soon. The time and distance will erode the relationship I had tried to form for so long." _

"_Oh… Eragon…" _she crooned sweetly, wrapping his mind with warm comfort_. "She can still visit you one day."_

"_With her being the Queen of Elves? Trying to keep Alagaesia away from the chaos after the war? Unlikely." _He ran his palm down his face fighting back his tears.

"_Never say never, fate may cross your path with her's again, one day. "_

"_Heh… Speaking of fate… I was such a fool." _Her muzzle appeared in his view and deep sapphire eyes looked directly into his as a tear began to run down his cheek_. "You remember the prophecy? The one Angela told me a long time ago?" _he stifled a sob.

Her gaze softened_, "One about long life, one for the betrayal in the family and one for…" _

"…_love." _He finished_. "I had a lot of time to think about it on the Talita… and I… realised I was charmed and blinded, being certain it was about her…" _Tears began running down his cheek freely.

"_Little One…" With a purr, _she placed her muzzle on his shoulder, hoping it would help. Eragon grasped her neck tightly.

"_I had chased her like a teenager who saw a pretty woman for the first time in his life…" _His face twisted with self-contempt _, "I recalled the times she rejected me, brought me to tears more than once… and yet…" _He clenched his hands on the dragoness' scales.

"_We were separated by decades of life… And… And only by the end of the war did we became true friends… I knew I'd leave so why was I so convinced that she was the One? Please tell me...?"_

She crooned softly_, "Our hearts can mislead us Little One and I experienced it myself… We may think we love someone, but we love how that person makes us feel mostly, who fulfills our emotional… and physical needs…" _

She pulled her head back a bit hovering in front of his face. Saphira could feel warmth in her chest as she watched her distraught and trembling rider. Like by the snap of fingers, she leaned her muzzle forward as her tongue extended from her parted jaws. She ran her tongue over his jawline gently, switching from one side to another. The rider accepted her affection which was calming his nerves a little. The dragoness closed her eyes, and her purring got louder as she wrapped Eragon's mind with pure affection. The odd feeling in her lower abdomen appeared once again but Saphira didn't mind at all…

"_The true love is the love of giving, when you invested yourself in someone entirely… not a love of receiving…" _She swiped her tongue on his neck, followed by a nip on his jawline with a soft warble as she was looking deeply into his eyes_. _

The rider couldn't move a muscle while she was showing her strong affection toward him. A sudden swipe of her wet tongue sent shivers down his spine, making him gasp quietly. His tears stopped flowing when his mind focused on his partner-of-mind-and-heart entirely, and the warmth her soul provided. She pressed the tip of her muzzle to his forehead with her tongue slipping past her slightly parted jaws.

She hummed deeply_. "However, you should remember we will live for a long time, my Little One… Do you remember what I told you once?" _She paused_, "Live in the present, remember the past, and fear not the future, for it doesn't exist and never shall. There is only now."_

Eragon listened to her soft voice with closed eyes, feeling each gentle stroke of her warm tongue. In the past, he would have been a bit irritated because saliva proved to be difficult to deal with, but now he couldn't care less. A soothing aura claimed his body and mind as he decided to do what she said: To live in the rider opened his eyes and began massaging her vulnerable place on her throat with steady strokes. Her purr intensified as she blended her mind with his more and more.

In the heat of the moment, Saphira curled her head back and swiped her tongue against his soft lips, making her Little One gasp. Then she nuzzled the crook of his neck, taking his scent in a steady breath.

"_Do you feel better?" _She spoke up again in a dreamy tone.

"_I… do.." _Eragon felt tiredness began to claim his mind_ "Thank you…" _

"_Everything for my Little One…" _she crooned._"Come here…" _she nudged his cheek, then leaned onto her side, curling her paw around his waist. Soon he was between the dragoness' paw.

"_Let's rest," _she ruffled his hair gently.

He felt the other warm paw pressing against his back, making sure he was safe in her grasp. A wing obscured the world around him as he released a deep breath. With one last grateful hug from Eragon, their minds melded fully and they both drifted off to sleep.

**The Author's note:**

**Hello, my dear readers!**

**It has been a while since I posted the previous chapter and I hoped it wasn't too long for you. I am really curious what you think about this chapter and I am looking forward to reading your reviews!**

**Have a nice day :)**

**Special thanks to my friends, Mark, Merc and The Vilified for beta reading and support!**

**EDIT: Uploaded better-edited version of the chapter. 11th of August 2019.**


	5. Chapter 5

The night claimed the ruins of the old town fully, only moon and fire lit the camp, casting shadows on walls covered by moss. By the side of the campfire, the dragoness and her rider were sleeping in a tender embrace, a sight which would melt even an ice-cold heart. The golden eldunari and others kept the watch, letting them sleep after a day full of ups and downs.

Glaedr listened to cracks of burning wood deep in thought, trying to solve a puzzle his students were a source of. It felt like in the old days, back on Vroengard when he had to guide young riders and dragons alike to avoid making matters complicated within the Order. His train of thought turned to Umaroth as he released low hum.

The signs were too familiar to ignore, knowing it could be a source of something greater than anyone could have imagined, but also, it could be the beginning of a terrible fate. With caution, he decided to turn to his old friends and students from before the Order fell and ask their opinion about the matter at hand. He paused for a moment, feeling a bit flustered before he touched their minds. The eldunarii could put something in the motion, unsure how it would end. Glaedr's mind reached back to the sleeping pair, recalling the time they spent together. They were his students who determined the relations with them but after so many things they went through together, they deserved the best. With a deep sigh, he touched the minds of Eldunarii he was looking for.

"_It has been a while," _he said,the tone betraying his nervousness.

"_Glaedr-elda!" _the choir of four Eldunarii replied in sheer joy, rushing to meet their old mentor.

"_Hey, hey! I'm glad to talk to you again. I apologise for ignoring you for so long. As you could guess, I have been busy," _he added in a sheepish tone.

"_Don't worry Glady, we are glad to hear from you again!" _the white eldunari replied playfully.

"_Oh, not this again Lathine. The dragoness troublemaker." _If he could, he would roll his eyes right then but his heart warmed up a bit anyway.

"_If I recall correctly, you were fine with it," _giggling to her teacher's embarrassment.

"_I do remember your words, Glaedr…" _The dark blue Eldunari came to torment the old dragon in a teasing manner.

"_Oh, with all males back then you were the last I could expect to abuse your old master like that, Tinath," _Glaedr replied exaggerating.

"_I have my moments…" _said the quietest of all four.

"_Yes, you do …" _the melodic voice of a black dragoness reached Tinath, surrounding him like a mist. Before he fell in love with it… _someone_, it could send shivers down his spine. Even today it had a similar effect he realised.

"_After so many years and you still do that Jenve," _he growled, feeling flustered.

"_Of course… it was fun to see your blue scales turning purple. Sometimes I only needed to walk in front of you…" _If he had his body, his cheek would burn from the heat._ "But let's leave the fun for later. Where is our little precious friend?"_

"_Hello." _The tiny and shy voice of a once copper dragoness reached everyone.

"_Glad to hear from you again, Jiorva," _Jenve changing her teasing attitude to full honesty and warmth. Glaedr could feel all of them embracing her mind with a tight hug.

"_It's nice to see you guys again," _she replied, feeling a bit calmer than she usually was.

"_So Elbrith, what is the matter? I can recognise that tone anywhere," _Lathine decided to go straight to the point. It was pleasant to see everyone again but she knew their teacher felt troubled.

"_Well… It is about the pair over here. Eragon and Saphira have become especially close to one another lately, I dare to say more than a rider and a dragon pair usually were. I saw their devotion to each other, the way Saphira looked at her rider and how he was ready to ignore the moral code of elves… including twelve words of death in order to get her something to eat after the accident all of you saw. I had my assumptions and I can tell they may be true." _

He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts._ "Do you recall how dragons show strong affection to each other reserved for close friends or… mates? _

A grunt escaped from all four Eldunarii.

"_Eragon was distraught today's evening thus Saphira tried to comfort him. She nibbled his jawline, licked his cheeks and neck… I could feel overwhelming affection with a hint of desire from her whenever the mental barrier let something slip through… From Eragon could feel burning love for her too."_

"_Is it something I think it is, Master?" _Jenve asked, growling softly.

"_Yes. I think their platonic relationship would be something more soon … It could be the beginning of something great, as you all experienced in the past."_

"_Indeed…" _Tinath chimed in nostalgic voice, recalling his precious rider, Felicia, he was in love with. He growled sadly as a memory of her beautiful smile entered his mind.

"_We all miss our loved ones, Tinath…" _Jenve sent her comforting thoughts to dark blue eldunarii, his rider was her best friend…

"_True… So," _he pushed depressing thoughts back,_ " what should we do, Glaedr-elda? _

Before the golden dragon could speak up, the copper dragoness interrupted.

"_We would be guides to help them with their flourishing relationship… wouldn't we? Master Glaedr?" _she added in a calm tone.

"_Correct. If one had pushed another too far too quickly, their bond may suffer. Your mates were some of the best riders I had the honor to teach and fight side by side against Galbatorix during our final stand. The interspecies relationships weren't common back then but also not unheard of. I ask you to help them realise whatever they feel is natural and they shouldn't be ashamed of what they feel. "_

"_In the end, it does not matter if you wear scales or smooth skin…" _Lathine finished recalling what she had to do to win the heart of her rider.

"_Umaroth-elda would not be pleased…" _worried tone of Jiorva spread across their private link, making all four dragons growl In agreement.

"_He would have to accept it as he did in the past, young one," _Glaedr added, feeling sympathy for the copper dragoness. He remembered how furious Umaroth was when he got to know Jiorva and Ernis were caught kissing in public. Defusing the situation took him a long, heated discussion with the elder dragon before he agreed to give them a punishment that wouldn't involve demotion or turning them out from the Order. He felt the brush of her mind in thanks for his words.

"_How should we do it without making them feel uncomfortable? We have never talked with them before so it would sound out of place if we came and greeted them out of the blue," _Tinath added in worry.

"_Fair point, handsome," _causing the blue male to sigh deeply,_ "maybe we should be part of their special training?"_

"_It could work, Jenve," _Glaedr added thinking about a different way to involve his friends.

"_Have you ever told them about how the life of lower rank dragons and riders in the Order, Glaedr-elda?" _Jiorva paused hesitating_, "I think… It may interest them a lot." _

"_No… we had so little time and so much to learn before they could face the egg-destroyer and win…" _

"_So let's show and tell what it had been like on Vroengard when dragons ruled the sky!" _Lathine said in a confident voice.

"_Alright, alright, I see your determination to see a task done never left you," _heartful chuckle spread across their bond._ "I will assign you in pairs to Eragon and Saphira. Jiorva and Lathine, you would talk with Saphira. Jenve and Tinath, you take Eragon. Just please, behave," _he finished playfully_. "I will let them know in the evening about the special training." _

He heard confirmation from four Eldunarii, then he paused for a moment as nostalgia came back to him_ "It was a pleasure to hear from you again."_

"_Likewise, Master," _all of them replied with sympathy for their old teacher.

….

The morning light shone through the ceiling holes as rays reflected on scales of the sapphire dragoness. She covered her head and her precious Little One with her wing, protecting themselves from the morning cold. Her tail swung lazily as she crooned quietly in her sleep. The dragoness didn't find the need to wake up, enjoying good rest for the first time in the recent week. Saphira curled her head down, and, touching Eragon's hair as if she was trying to check if he was still there, she took his scent in a steady breath, the musk lulling her to sleep. The dragoness purred softly as her paws embraced the rider tightly.

Meanwhile, Eragon hugged her paw closer to his chest, feeling the other one pressing against his back. He had already woken up but still laid with her, enjoying the company of his dragoness. He rubbed his cheek into softer scales in slow strokes, his mind finding pleasure in their touch on the skin. The rider looked up when he felt Saphira ruffling his hair in sleep with her nose, he could hear her breath followed by a sweet purr. Eragon reached for her mind finding it completely calm and relaxed, a grin appeared on his face as he realized his dragoness had gotten well-deserved rest at last.

His mind went back to the event from last night when he broke down in front of her. The pain stung his heart, recalling what he felt, but then his mind turned to what Saphira did for him. What she told gave him hope, and maybe one day he would find peace with Arya. Then Eragon's thoughts wandered further as he closed his eyes.

He could feel a phantom lick of dragon tongue on his lips and a cheek, soft nibbling on his jaws, that wet swipe on his neck which sent shivers down his spine, the strong but gentle presence of Saphira in his mind overwhelming him with care and love… Whenever he needed her, she was always on his side, whether it was putting up with his stubbornness and short-sightedness, or cheering him up whenever he was broken. Eragon had always seen her as his closest friend but now… he wasn't sure anymore.

He delved further in his memory, going back to what had occurred the previous morning. Her shapely legs and enticing… Blood flowed into his cheeks as pants got a little bit tighter. The rider, a bit shocked by his reaction, moved a bit to lay in a more comfortable pose position, thinking about the sudden outburst. His mind sought to wrap logic around the problem, but he couldn't find an answer he liked. With the defeat, he looked up to see her beautiful muzzle. He sighed deeply; yes, he found her attractive. But was it even possible? A dragon and a rider together? He began stroking her paws trying to calm his nerves. The last thing he needed was making Saphira uncomfortable around him; she had enough on her mind already. However, some part of him urged him to try at least, for it felt like an itch that would not be resolved any other way. He sighed deeply. Prophecies could be misleading, but Angela's would be fulfilled one way or another. What did he have to lose? With gloomy mood, he pecked her scales longingly. _"I hope you are the one…"_ he whispered in an excluded part of his mind.

Eragon exhaled deeply then looked up, noticing her wing's membrane lighten up from the sun's rays. His mind wandered, thinking about what time it could be. Though he wished he could lay in her embrace forever, they still had things to do today. The rider brushed her mind in an attempt to wake her up gently.

"_Saphira… We need to get going…" _he grunted, feeling her grip get tighter than before. A short growl answered him instead; he knew she was awake as soon as he called her.

"_Fine… Oh, the Queen of the Sky, wake up."_

She wiggled her body to get more comfortable then pressed her nose into his hair.

"_Good morning, Little One," _she said, letting out a soft purr, ruffling his hair again_._

"_Good morning… Did you sleep well?" _He ran his palm up and down massaging her forearm gently.

"_Yes… It's been a long time since I got such a good rest… _She nuzzled his cheek.

The rider felt her mind embracing him with gratitude and love. She laid her head down and tried to hug him as best as she could. Her tail swung from side to side with no sign of agitation or anxiety. Saphira listened to sounds of the morning, feeling her rider massaging her paw. They both fell silent as they enjoyed one another's company, but some time later the dragoness shifted a little bit before speaking up again.

"_Isn't great, Eragon? To wake up without rush… to listen to birds sing?" She_ paused for a moment_ "Laying side-by-side… together?" _She placed emphasis on the last part_. _

The rider's mind was intrigued by her question, feeling the hope behind her words.

"_Yes, it is, my dear." _He brushed his cheek on blue scales as she growled happily_. "I could get used to it…"_

"_So then, will you sleep with me instead of going back to your bed on Talita?" _Her voice tried to contain the excitement. Eragon looked up, noticing her sapphire eyes staring at him. They expressed so many things: hope, concern, happiness.

"_How could I refuse?" _he replied, smiling sincerely._ "Yes, I will. You know, before the Ra'zacs, I hoped that we could have had such a simple life where the only worry would be oversleeping." _

Saphira darted her eyes around his friendly face as he replied. She could feel warmth in her belly, making her mind lose itself in joy and adoration. Without thinking she leaned her muzzle forward and let her tongue lick his forehead lovingly.

"_So did I, my Eragon." _Her voice broke from emotions overwhelming her mind gradually_. "Thank you…" _

He hugged her as the dragoness nibbled his jaw gently, enjoying the simple caress. Then they both pulled back. Their breath was a bit faster from the experience they just shared. With their heartbeats returning to normal, Eragon looked deep into her mind, trying to read her expression. He still felt a pleasant warmth in his chest that urged him to go after what his heart wanted.

Saphira tilted her head, and watching her Little One frozen in place, she let out a short growl to snap him out of it. With a shake of his head, he went back to matters at hand. He smiled at her blushing a bit.

"_Well… it feels nice to lie here, but we have things to do." _He scratched the scales on her nose but then Saphira tried to grab his palm in her jaws playfully. The rider giggled trying to avoid getting caught, a bit of fun always made the morning better. But at last she grabbed him, satisfaction emitted from her mind across their bond.

"_Mine." _She gave him a toothy grin, her eyes were full of life and tail swung in excitement behind her_._

"_Yes, yes… you won." _He laughed at her antics_. "Come on, we need to move our butts."_

"_Fine." _She released his palm at last but before he could pull it away, she licked it with a quick swipe of her tongue, letting him know she had the last word on the matter.

"_Was that necessary?" _he asked, looking at his hand covered with saliva_._

"_Yes!" _Saphira thumped her tail on the ground, growling happily. Eragon shook his head but made no effort to hide his smile_. _

Saphira released her grip, letting him get up then rolled carefully on her belly to avoid pushing her rider over accidentally. She looked back at her rider stretching his muscles, and quickly her gaze dropped to the ground. It could not have been very comfortable for him but he didn't utter any complaints. The dragoness was tempted to stretch fully too but the warehouse limited her quite a bit, so she got up slowly.

Soon, she was rolling her wings' shoulders trying to warm them up. Maybe today she would be able to fly considering she no longer felt weak. Then her attention turned into her each limb which received the same treatment as her shoulders. Saphira closed her eyes humming, enjoying her body warming up gradually. After a moment she felt someone's gaze on her, and Saphira snapped her eyes open and caught her Little One staring at her. She let out a soft growl as her instincts took control.

"_Do you see something you like?" _Her voice was like a mist spreading in his mind. The dragoness sat on her haunches trying to present herself from the best side. She curled her neck in an elegant curve, showing a side of her muzzle as tail flipped gently on the ground. Her scales catching morning sun rays, making them shine like gems. Eragon stood there unable to turn away his gaze. Saphira felt great he found her so captivating, giving her a much-needed self-esteem boost. She licked her lips, locking eyes with him.

"_I do…" _he answered absentmindedly and right after his cheeks turned red he dropped his gaze._ "_Sorry_," _he murmured out loud.

Saphira relaxed her pose then walked up to him softly. His mind was a mess from what she could feel in their bond.

"_I am flattered. I really am Little One, so don't worry." _She nuzzled his cheek as she hummed softly. Eragon sent her thanks in relief; she was not offended by his antics. _"So what is the plan for today?" _

"_I guess we can check the building we saw yesterday and then you could try to fly. I still have to let Umaroth-elda know we are alive. You know how he is." _

A rumble came out from her throat - a draconic laugh_. "Yes, I do, and I cannot wait to feel the wind beneath my wings again. I feel better than yesterday."_

He tapped her nose playfully._ "I am looking forward to it. But first, I'll try to find some berries. Bread alone is too dry." _He then walked away, leaving the dragoness inside the warehouse.

After a moment, Saphira walked up to the entrance of the warehouse and looked up, watching clouds in the sky. She sat comfortably, losing herself in her thoughts. Her mind went back to the previous evening, recalling every little detail and the emotions involved. It was unusual, special in some way she thought. The dragoness saw her rider's distressed and hopeless expression, tears running down his face. A sting of pain appeared in her chest merely from thinking about it as she let out a sad whine. She knew words wouldn't have been enough to help him thus she listened to her heart. Saphira closed her eyes, letting memories flow through her mind. The feel of soft skin on her tongue, the deep purr coming out from her throat, nibbles on his jawline and… the draconic kiss that flicked across his lips. A shiver ran down dragoness' spine, feeling that she was losing herself in fantasy but then she opened her eyes suddenly, her jaw opened in shock. It was not a fantasy, it was real and it felt good doing that with him.

Her mind went back to her previous debate about unknown feelings toward her Little One._ "That was it…. This is how I wanted to find out if my heart told the truth… And this morning I could not seem to help myself..." she thought, _recalling how she showed herself off to Eragon_. "I did exactly the same with Glaedr-elda…" _She began drawing lines in the dirt with her claw.

They had been together for better and for worse. She could rely on him every time and knew he would have moved a mountain if he had to for her. She had struggled to remain sane for so long… Saphira never wanted to bother him with her own problems, thus she remained quiet, but the fact of how much he cared gave her peace. She crooned softly, recalling their little game from this morning. She didn't remember the last time she played like that – maybe when she was just a hatchling. The world was simpler and safer back then; only her rider and she mattered. Saphira felt like her heart swelled from emotions thinking about moments she spent with him as the warmth began to spread through her entire body.

Her thoughts wandered to their bath at the lake and the little accident. She growled in surprise, realising there was no embarrassment from what happened anymore. Instead, her heartbeat and breath became a little faster. The dragoness' tail swung from side to side agitated as she wiggled her rump subconsciously.

Then Saphira recalled his strong arms holding her when she felt so worthless and defeated. She took a shaky breath as the memory of his scent entered her mind. There was no one else who could make her feel as safe and valued. The dragoness believed elves looked at her with insincere admiration, they may pretend otherwise but they see her as… a god. Eragon on the other hand…

Her muscles began trembling; her mind looked like a raging storm and she felt like her chest is was about to burst open. She stifled an upcoming sob in her throat making it sound like a grunt. Saphira snapped her head forward, eyes darting around in realization.

"_I love Eragon." _Then all negative thoughts were washed away from her mind. _"More than as my rider…" _She closed eyes focusing on her beating heart, feeling it calm down gradually.

"_I love my rider…" _she whispered softly, testing the words in her mind. Saphira felt no remorse, nor doubt saying that as her breath went back to normal. She opened her eyes, the songs of birds, the quiet rustle of trees and the smell of the forest came back to her senses. Her mind was closed off to the entire world. The dragoness still felt a soothing warmth in her chest as she took breath one after another.

Maybe they were meant to be together and other things were just a distraction. The memory of the green dragon and his deep voice appeared in her mind. She let out a growl, letting her wings drop a bit as a wave of sorrow and shame flowed through her heart. _"Saphira… you were so blind back then…" _she said, shaking her head.

The dragoness curled her tail around herself in a comforting manner. Would it not harm their bond if… he didn't see her in a similar manner? How would she find out he felt her in the same way as she does him? Was it even right to love a human that way? What would Umaroth and Glaedr think about it? She began breathing faster during the mental debate, and anxiety started to affect her whole being.

She felt as though her mind was like a labyrinth where she tried to find the right path helplessly_. "Should I court him?" That _one question resounded in her soul loudly, and her heart skipped a beat. "_Then I will know if we can be together or… not..._" She shivered, thinking what if it may be a mistake in the end.

Saphira released a long-held breath._ "Well… Eragon admires my appearance already more than he is willing to admit," _she hummed in thought. It was an encouraging sign; it was one thing all males regardless of species had in common.

She looked back into her memory recalling dragon courtship, going back to Glaedr and Firnen. Razor-sharp teeth were exposed in her jaw as she felt a spark of anger for her shortsighted decisions back then. She had a feeling these memories would haunt her for the rest of her life. She promptly rejected the idea of using the same tactics on her Little One, for it would only scare him off.

Her mind went deeper through memories, recalling interactions between a human male and a female. She grunted, recalling Eragon's cousin making love with Katrina, then she carried on. However, she found only vague things that weren't really helpful. Saphira looked down, cursing her ignorance as her claws dug in the ground. Her gaze snapped to her paws suddenly, she lifted one in the air and turned it to expose its inner side. One detail she managed to spot.

"_It seems human pairs touch each other quite a lot…" _The hint let her focus on other events to test that theory. She went back to a meeting between Nasauda and noble families. The Queen never let others touch her unless they were people who she trusted. Eragon was reluctant to invade someone else's personal space he didn't know. Then Saphira went back to Roran and Katrina, she remembered them holding hands, embracing or kissing one another. The dragoness hummed deeply._ "Well… I do that already and it seems Eragon likes it…" _She recalled his gasps when she licked his neck and lips_. "Hmm… It felt so right…" _She released low growl, closing her eyes as she gave in to her fantasy.

Burning sensations began to spread in her lower abdomen, affecting her mind and body. Her imagination went further, seeing herself going lower than his neck, panting fast, his soft skin yielding under pressure of her tongue as his scent teased her with each breath. The feeling of his palms massaging her muzzle… She put her paw back on the ground, as croon full of desire left her jaws. The dragoness wiggled in place as her genital folds began to moisten, spreading her fragrant scent in the air. She couldn't help but grind her rump on the floor which sent an electric jolt through her entire body.

"_Ah!" _She opened her eyes slowly, desire still clouding her mind but she remained still enjoying pulsing warmth at her groin._ "Maybe, I should show myself from a… different angle to him…" _She moved her rump back and forth as a toothy grin appeared on her muzzle. She hummed deeply in thoughts.

After some time the heat her groin disappeared and the logical part of mind took control once again. She jolted her head in realisation._ "I just… fantasied about Eragon…" _she gulped._ " And liked it…"_

If she reacted that strong then, what if she wouldn't be able to control herself? Worry spread across her mind, making her wiggle in place._ "No, I won't make the same foolish mistake," _she recalled how meeting with Firnen reduced her mind to instincts. She would handle Eragon with utmost care if they ever tried something really intimate. The dragoness heart skipped a beat at the last thought.

Speaking of which, she felt Eragon coming back with a really happy spirit, she shook her head sharply in an effort to clear her mind before opening herself to him in their bond completely.

The rider appeared behind the corner, looking up at her. She curled her muzzle smiling the best way she could, her eyes sparkling with joy.

"_There you are, a bit longer and I would come and carry you back like a hatchling," _she hummed.

"_Oh, I haven't been away that long." _He smiled at her but suddenly, the rider paused, smelling the unknown scent in the air. It felt was like the aroma of flowers and earth mixed together. She growled in question as he walked up to her, touching her scales. A shiver ran down her body from his touch.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, I'm fine, Little One." She nuzzled his cheek. His nose caught more of a pleasant aroma as he took a deep breath, confirming his suspicion it was coming from his dragoness.

"I know it sounds strange but… you smell nice."

She chuckled in their bond. "_Thank you."_ She then bumped his arm playfully._ "Well, what did you find?" _She eyed his palms holding various fruits.

"_Some blueberries, raspberries… you know, anything to spice up dry bread." _She was glad Eragon didn't figure out the reason for her new scent.

"_Hurry up and eat so we can carry on," _Saphira said, nuzzling his cheek tenderly and letting out a soft purr.

…_.  
_

Eragon let out a pleased sigh as he leaned on Saphira's front paw. He heard his dragoness humming a melody he couldn't recognise but there was nothing bad about it. After a moment her left wing lowered a bit to hold him on his side, he instinctively reached out to massage it in slow circles. The rider felt his heart swell in happiness as he shared a moment of intimacy with his Saphira, then he locked his gaze on her muzzle swaying in tune of the melody she sang.

The rider didn't know what was happening to him but he felt the soothing buzz in his head just from listening to her. Eragon went back to his earlier dilemma about their relationship as_he closed some part of his mind to think in private and continued massaging her scales. Here he was leaning on someone he could die for, who was on his side for better and worse. And yet there was still a barrier between them: he was a human, she was a dragon.

"_But… does it really matter?" _He whispered in his mind. There were many obstacles he had to overcome in the past which tested his morals and sanity. He did feel fear what others might have thought about what his heart wanted but he was more afraid she would not return his feelings… He knew how prideful dragons were… but she was _his_ Saphira. Subconsciously, Eragon knew he couldn't stand for his dragoness to be with someone else. It would have eaten him from inside eventually.

"_So… what should I do?" _He sighed deeply. It was one thing to court a woman, quite another to court a firebreathing dragoness.. Eragon rubbed his hand deep in thought. Well, it seemed she liked the idea of_ "little" _gifts, his mind brought up the deer he got for her yesterday and her comment about letting him hunt for her more often. A faint smile appeared on his face, knowing there was something to start from. She also enjoyed his pampering a lot, involving petting, massage or baths, but he realised the key to her heart was solving what troubles her and to show he cared about her deeply.

He paused for a moment looking ahead to see the town ruins in daylight. Then his memories took him back to Talita when he read scrolls in an effort to figure out Saphira's condition. Now, he knew even without them what she was going through since they left Alagaësia, so there was no need to read them but… Suddenly, an idea formed in his mind. As he recalled they should have contained all knowledge about dragons. Maybe they contained information about dragons courting habits. He blushed slightly as a memory of Saphira's feelings during mating flight with Firnen entered his mind_. "Well, I can't fly obviously, but there must be something I can do too…"_

Eragon realised he spent a bit too much time dwelling on this; they still had a few things to do like getting back to Talita. He pushed himself from Saphira's paw, making her stop humming, he swore there was a sigh of disappointment from her mind.

Then she curled her head down as her sapphire orbs stared at him like they were going to pierce his soul, making him freeze in place. He saw her nostrils widen in each breath but then she softened her gaze, flooding his mind with strong affection. He took a deep breath and felt her tender embrace on his soul, barely registering the lick on his cheek.

They both stared into each other's eyes for a long moment till Eragon was snapped out from trance as she smirked at him, arching her neck back in an elegant curve.

"You stare at me again, my Little One." He felt glee emanating from her mind, and his cheek flushed. She leaned her muzzle next to his ear. "I don't mind it…" she whispered, slipping in a seductive tone with each word. Eragon's eyes widened hearing her enticing voice.

"Ah... you're welcome?" He fumbled with his words.

"Mhmm…" She flicked her tongue over his neck, then in a sudden realisation that she might have pushed him a bit too far, she spoke up.

"You are so fun to tease, Eragon," she said, grinning widely.

"Oh, you little devil." He pushed her muzzle away without ill intent as she laughed in his mind.

"Sorry, I could not stop myself… But really, I do not mind you staring at me," Eragon tilted his head in confusion before speaking up.

"I thought it was rude…"

"In general it is but we are not strangers, are we?" she added in a calming tone.

"Yeah…"

"So don't overthink it my Little One. It only makes me feel… special." She let the last part slip from her tongue.

"Alright…" He locked his gaze for a moment trying to read her muzzle as her emotions swirled across their bond.

"_Let's move on, I want to check that building before we leave. But first, I'll let Umaroth know we are fine." _Then he walked back inside as Saphira's gaze followed him in silence.

…

As they predicted, the conversation with Umaroth-elda wasn't pleasant and they could feel irritation in his voice as he asked simple questions, urging them to come back as fast to Talita as possible. Saphira pawed the ground while they were talking, her fragile self-confidence was tested under a firm tone of the old master. At one point Eragon embraced her mind when he figured out she was not handling the situation well. She let out quiet croon in thanks.

They were given a few hours to find what they could about the town's past but then they had to move on. Once again Glaedr promised he would keep an eye on them, trying to soothe Umaroth's worries. At last Eragon released a scrying spell and got up from the ground.

"_Well… We should deal with this as soon as possible. Umaroth-elda's patience is getting thin._

"_I'm sorry…" _Saphira whined sadly, feeling guilt for the situation they ended up in.

"_It was just an accident, youngling," _Glaedr spoke in a warm tone_._

"_Yes… I know." _She dropped her head but then gave Eragon a hopeful look as she waited for his response.

He walked up to her, moving the dragoness' muzzle up._ "No one blames you for what happened." He pecked her nose. _

Saphira's tail shuddered sharply, feeling soft lips on her scales, but she calmed down at last.

The rider looked back into the warehouse, making sure nothing was left there. He scanned the room carefully and after a moment looked at the office he found yesterday. Without a word, he walked back inside.

"_Little One?" _

"_I will check something quickly there_." He heard her paws hitting the ground as she followed him.

He climbed through the window frame and soon he was inside the room. To his disappointment, there wasn't anything worth checking inside. The remnants of a desk only proved the time really left its mark on this place. After a moment, Eragon went through the window back into the main part of the building.

"_There was nothing there. Let's go to the building we saw yesterday," _he said sending her mental image of the place. She grunted in confirmation.

In daylight, the pair could see the whole market of the town in detail. The contrast between ruins and trees marking the border of plaza made the scenery unusual for their eyes. They could spot a fountain in the middle of the town square – or what was left of it. As they walked past it, Saphira made a mental note that there was enough space nearby it to take off later.

After a few minutes, they reached the most preserved building which sparked the rider's interest the previous afternoon. Now he could see the brown color of the front wall clearly in daylight and the many deep gashes within it. Scars made it look like spider web hanging on a wall; the biggest amount of them was beside the window frames. His hand moved on the hilt of his sword instinctively as Saphira began scenting the air around them. He slowly touched the scar and ran his fingers inside it.

"_It's at least two or three inches deep…" _he said, looking back at Saphira who also gave the scars a look. She extended her tongue, trying to judge depth on her own.

"_I do not know what could leave such marks…" _Suddenly she moved alongside the wall and smacked it with her claws. The sting of pain spread into Eragon's mind from her action.

"_Ah! It's never pleasant but this…" _She complained, rolling her paw to soothe the pain._ "It couldn't have been the dragon's job, I'm sure…"_

"Do you need help?"Eragon rushed to her side.

"_No, it's fine Little One, but thank you," _she hummed soothingly.

Eragon looked at marks she left on the wall and check their depth, only one inch deep.

"_Any ideas, Glaedr-elda?" _

"_Hmm… perhaps a Kull? They have the strength to leave such marks, but I don't think they would have done such a pointless thing. They would still need to use weapons or tools… and it's it would be pointless to damage a blade considering they could just bust through the door…" _he let out a deep hum_. "Go inside, but proceed with caution."_

"_I'll wait outside. Be careful." _Saphira's heart skipped a beat. Eragon scratched her nose in an attempt to calm her nerves but then she gave him a tender lick on his palm, growling in concern. She hated it when he wasn't by her side in dangerous places. Finally, she pulled back, giving him some room.

"_Here goes nothing," _Eragon said and took the first step inside.

He walked through a narrow corridor, placing his feet carefully. The walls were covered by dirt and moss but he could still spot paint here and there. He looked to the left, spotting a similar room in size. _"Maybe it is another office_," he thought. The rider gave it a look inside but there was nothing that caught his attention, so he continued, going further inside the building.

Soon, the corridor opened up to the large hall which was big enough so that Saphira could fit inside and stand comfortably, On both sides, there were wide arches supporting the first floor, which also served as the entrance to other parts of the building. In front of him, the wide stairs made of granite led to the upper floor. Eragon looked higher and noticed elegant columns and reliefs through ivy, growing in the hall. Even in ruin, it was a sight to behold. It seemed to him the building had not belonged to royalty.

"_Maybe it used to be a town hall?" _The rider sent his thoughts to Saphira and Glaedr.

"_Hmm… I could have been. If so, you may find some documents if time did not destroy them completely," _Glaedr chimed it.

Eragon began climbing the stairs slowly, trying to guess if they could still hold his weight. As he reached the top he saw a ten-foot-tall door at the end of another narrow corridor in front of him. He looked to sides, noticing other columns and relics decorating walls. It was meant to impress any guests in this place before they went to other rooms. The rider turned his back at the door far in front of him. It must be important.

After a moment he stood next to the large door, only then he noticed quite familiar flower-themed decorations typical for elven architecture. Did it mean elves used to live here too? The same deep scars from outside were present. What did that? He put the thought aside and focused on the task at hand. Eragon tried to push the door open using a handle but it didn't budge at all. He closed his eyes, extending his mind forward. Soon, he detected a powerful spell protecting the entrance which didn't allow him to see what was inside. A simple break spell wouldn't work but thankfully he knew the Word. As it left his mouth, the protective ward disappeared, granting him access. He moved with his mind inside, trying to spot living creatures or traps left by the last owners of this place. Thankfully, it was safe to enter.

With the mighty push, he managed to open the heavy door, the loud screech of metal filled the town hall in protest. Even with his extraordinary strength, Eragon felt the ache in his muscles, his breath faster from the effort. After a moment, he stepped inside, keeping his palm on the sword hilt.

In the middle of the room, he could see a damaged round table surrounded by fragments of wood that must had been chairs. He moved forward, looking around the room and noticing as detailed decorations as similar to those in the main hall but better preserved. Then his eyes moved lower and froze in the track. Skeletons were positioned along the walls. As he got closer he noticed they lacked many bones, some were scattered around the room too. He crouched next to one and look at the chest cavity with its ribs crushed completely. He moved his gaze down toward leg bones, noticing a big hole in a femur. Then he spotted the same deep scars on the stone floor like outside the building and at the door, he went through.

Eragon and his companions remained silent, trying to digest what happened here. The rider darted his eyes around the room, taking in more details of the slaughter scene. Rusted swords and shields laid next to a few skeletons; those must had been soldiers. Others didn't have any weapons next to them, hinting they might have been townfolk or landlords.

"_Glaedr… I.. think some creatures did this… I fear to imagine what happened once they went inside this room full of people…" _Ashudder ran down his spine as he clenched his palm on the sword's hilt. Saphira also got more and more anxious with every second.

"_You are right, even Kulls are not that brutal… and…" _he fell silent.

"_Yes… Elbrith?" _Saphira asked with a shaky breath.

He growled sharply._ "This room was sealed off with wards, so how did these creatures get inside?"_

Suddenly, clatter resounded in front of him to the right. Eragon turned his gaze to the opposite side of the door he used to go in, his jaw dropped.

He could see another door frame but this one was heavily damaged, hinges were ripped from the frame and they hung on twisted metal. The door leafs laid on the floor covered by debris.

"Why would they put a ward on the one entrance, but not the other?" Eragon wondered aloud.

"_Well… I am sure they did but it failed. The ward can be disabled by brute force but I can't imagine the force needed to do that… Even a dragon would not be able to_ _do it… So unless the creatures had a magic caster that controlled them… I…"_ Glaedr fumbled with words as Eragon got up slowly, feeling a cold sweat on his back. _"There is a chance they could break the ward with their own mind…" _

"…and then kicked the door out from the frame," Eragon finished._He quickly walked up to it then slowed down, taking steps careful with all senses on an alert. It was another room but smaller he just left. Like before signs of vicious battle were everywhere, rusted weapons, fragments of skeletons and deep scars on every surface where claws did the fatal blow. The rider looked ahead spotting another destroyed door.

"_I guess these creatures came from there…" _A grunt of both dragons confirmed his suspicion. What caught his attention was the remaining of several boxes lying next to the door. Hummed in thought, it must had been a desperate attempt to strengthen the door but it didn't work. Many of the containers were smashed to pieces.

But then Eragon looked to the left, noticing something unusual in the corner of the room.

"_Huh… I haven't seen anything like this before," _he spoke, feeling Saphira's curiosity spark too.

The metal of the box shoned like it was new, there was no mark of rust. It was unusual, according to what they saw the town must have been in ruins for decades or even longer. The rider didn't spot any handle to open it, only rectanglular pit where he could spot narrow slit. He reached out a hand to grab a dimple he saw at the side of the pit and pulled. But the door didn't budge.

"_Hmm…" _He closed his eyes and spread his mind into the locker feeling the mechanism that kept doors closed.

"_It was not made by any smith from Alaga__ë__sia. I saw locks in many towns but none of them were that small… However, this should do the trick," _he stepped back.

"_Jierda!" _Instead of targeting the lock he focused on the hinges. Metal moaned in protest but then the door starting falling from the frame. Eragon grabbed it before it hit the ground, then placed on the wall next to him.

He looked inside, a pile of books filled the locker, Eragon reached out to grab it carefully.

"_Be careful! These documents must be decades old, we don't want to damage them!" _Glaedr growled in panic, causing the rider stopped in his tracks.

He thought for a moment and said, "Sköliro!" casting a weak spell over books to protect them from damage, then grabbed them finally. The rider looked at them from each side, feeling subtle push of barrier protecting fragile books. They were quite heavy in hands thanks to the leather cover decorated with flower themes. On the first look, it seemed decorations were typical for elven artstyle, impling who lived in this town but he wasn't entirely sure. Goods could have been delivered here and elves never built towns like this one, maybe humans and elves lived here in harmony long time ago he thought. However, nothing was certain without reading those books. His hand moved to open them carefully.

Suddenly, another clatter made him gasp in surprise, turning his body toward the source of the sound.

"_Eragon… let's leave this place," _Saphira spoke in a worrying tone and sent him a picture of her walking back and forth outside the building.

"_On my way!" _He spun around and began trotting towards the entrance, his steps faster with every yard.

He heard another clatter on his side as he made it into the main hall. The rider checked nearby area with the mind but didn't feel any big life presence around him. Eragon's heart skipped a beat, slowly giving in panic.

"_Hurry up!" _he heard Saphira low growl in the distance.

At that point, he ran toward the exit where the dragoness laid down to allow him mounting her quickly. Her muscles tensed to make a fast dash to take off. Another clatter behind him.

He shot out from the building, unfastening the sword sheath from his belt. With sheath in hand, he put it in a holster on her saddle, then he mounted her in a few seconds. He strapped his legs quickly, his mind screaming there was no time to lose.

"_Go!" _Saphira launched herself with such a force he was pushed back in the saddle. She sprinted toward the market there was enough space to take off. With a grunt she pushed herself into the air and flapped her wings hard, feeling the burn in her muscles but she kept going. Soon, they were climbing the sky at a rapid pace.

Saphira turned around, making a wide loop around the town hall ruins and focused her mind on it. She went through thick walls, going deeper and deeper into the building but to her surprise she found nothing. It was empty, so why they both felt mortal danger all of sudden, she growled in confusion. Meanwhile, Eragon was doing the same but came to a similar conclusion. Adrenaline still flowed in his veins after such a frightening moment, finding it difficult to calm his nerves.

Suddenly, the dragoness felt a dull pressure in her head, making her lose vision for a moment. She kept flying but a sting of fear spread in her mind thus reached to her Little One. Saphira skipped the wing beat and curled her head behind carefully, Eragon looked at her for a moment then confusion on his face turned into panic. He opened his mouth but she didn't hear anything; the dragoness saw that he was shouting but there was silence. Without a thought, she turned south sharply and flapped her wings faster and faster, putting the town behind them. Her mind was in complete chaos as she kept trying to contact Eragon or one of Eldunarii but there was no answer. She let out choking snarl and pushed herself harder to fly faster, to go away from that cursed place.

Only after a few miles, the dull pressure disappeared and she slowed down momentarily, panting hard. She curled her head to the side, noticing her Little One attempt to contact her.

"_Eragon!"_ Thedraconic scream caught him off guard and felt her mind intertwined with his. He gasped feeling her panic, anxiety, and the relief that she could hear him finally.

"_Saphira, are you alright?! I couldn't hear your thoughts!" _

"_Neither could I yours!" _she whined in distress._ "I felt dull pressure around my mind and I lost my eyesight for a moment… Then..." _she shuddered under him,_ "I wasn't able to reach nor hear you, my Little One!"_

"_Thank the gods you're back… What happened there?!"_ He looked back over his shoulder.

"_I couldn't reach Saphira either, nor other Eldunarii," _Glaedr's voice betrayed he was deeply shaken by this situation. _"It seems like some kind of mind attack which was supposed to isolate you two, deny one advantage you have. Your bond." _

"_No mage could hide his presence from us…" _Eragon paused_. "Wait… No way…" _

Saphira knew what he had in mind.

"_Little One, we already encountered creatures who specialised in mind attacks…" _she began in a distant voice.

"_Fanghurs…" _they both spoke.

"_We didn't see any in the air and they can't be missed because of their size… It must have been something smaller that can move on the ground, something even the old Dragon Order hasn't encountered…" _Glaedr hummed low._ "We must go back to the Talita immediately and warn others. Now I am sure whatever creature or creatures attacked Saphira were able to wipe out that town…"_

Eragon and Saphira's eyes met in silence as both minds hold one another. They realised that fate called for them once again.

…_._

The pair located the river afternoon after a few hours of flight in silence, trying to spot the ship on the water surface but thanks to Saphira's better sight they noticed the Talita at anchor near the bank of Edda river. Saphira roared in joy announcing their arrival, she spotted small clearing near between tree line ideal for landing as elves running around in haste. She began to descend with wide loops above the river, reducing their velocity and altitude, then she turned straight toward the clearing that had been prepared for her landing. She swooped above Talita, and upon hearing the cheerful greeting of their elven friends she roared in response. Right before she reached the point she raised her chest, letting her lower body fall and began flapping wings hard to hover in the air. A gust of wind created a cloud of dirt nearby as Elves protected their eyes. Then her hind feet touched the ground and let her front paws took the rest of the impact. They were back at last.

Eragon let himself fall forward on her neck, sighting deeply, then wrapped his arms around her neck, giving her a tight squeeze.

"_Little One?" _She curled her head towards him with worry in her tone.

"_I'm fine… just… I'm glad we made it." _He removed his arms from her neck reluctantly.

She hummed softly, hugging his mind in exchange. How she wished she could have hugged him back with her own paws.

"_Shadeslayer! Bjartskular!" _The sudden shouts snapped them out of the intimate moment, their gazes shifting to their fury friend._ "You are back finally."_

"_We are glad to see you too, Blodgharm!" _the pair replied.

"_Just let me get off of this saddle first," _Eragon added as Saphira lowered herself on the ground. He unfastened the straps from his leg, letting them rest for a second, then he slowly raised himself and slid from on the left side. He grunted, feeling a dull ache in his legs, the momentum pushed him forward, losing his balance.

"_Ah!" _

"_I've got you…" _Thewarm voice entered his mind as a wing hand stopped his falling. He turned his head to the side, noticing Saphira looking at him with gentle eyes. She carefully raised her wing, allowing him to regain his footing as blood began to flow in his legs as it should._ "Are you alright?" _she asked.

"_Yes, thank you." _She purred quietly and brushed over his chest tenderly before pulling it away.

"I see the trip exhausted you, Shadeslayer_," _Blodgharm began.

"To put it mildly, I need to speak with Umaroth-elda immediately and the rest of elves."

"_I am listening," _the deep voice of his Master resounded in his mind as others gathered around the pair.

With a deep sigh, the rider began. "We found the road leading to the ruins of the town deep in the forest. The town looked like it was destroyed during the big battle, there were only fragments of houses near defense walls like someone or something leveled them out. It must have happened decades ago because the entire area was overgrown by the forest to the point we would have never spotted it from the air," the elves listened carefully.

"That's not the main concern, though. I explored what looked like a town hall near the main square. I found a room sealed off by protection ward after I managed to disable it I went inside…" He felt Saphira walked up behind him as he spoke, then smooth scales of her shoulder touched his back.

"I found skeletons lying everywhere on the floor. Some bones were crushed beyond recognition or were sprawled on the floor. Then I noticed deep scratches on the floor in many of the areas where those people died. The same marks we spotted at the main entrance of the building…"

Then Saphira chimed in_. "They were deeper than the mark I left on the same wall. There were so many of them that it looked like a spider web… We believe it didn't come from a dragon nor any other creature we know of."_

Eragon nodded and continued from there. "We came to the conclusion that whatever attacked the town hall must have broken the protection wards and went inside, slaughtering everyone there. Later, we found the path they broke through…" The rider went up to saddle, pulling out the notebooks he found in the metal locker.

"When I found this, I heard clatter coming from inside of the building. As I was running back I could hear it coming closer. We knew we were not alone."__

Saphira chimed in_. "We took off as quickly as possible. Then I felt a dull pressure around my mind, lost my vision for a moment, then I couldn't hear Eragon anymore." _She let out a distressed growl._ "Only after we flew further away I could hear him again…" _She shared her memory with everyone, she felt uneasy by doing that but everyone had to experience it.

"_We believe that we encountered a type of predator that uses mind attacks to hunt their prey similarly to Fanghurs. However, we were not able to sense the presence of the creature or creatures with our minds at all," _Glaedr added worryingly.

Eragon could see every elf tensed at that detail. A creature that used a mind attack and couldn't be detected with magic? It was a terrifying thought.

"… _I think those 'things' wiped out the town," _the golden Eldunarii finished.

Everyone stood in silence for a moment, digesting the news. Eragon felt his dragoness' paw wrapping around his midsection, holding him gently. He placed his palm on top of it, brushing it with slow strokes.

"_No one moves around alone," _Umaroth began_, "Only in pairs or with three people groups. Eragon and Saphira, you are not allowed to leave the immediate vicinity of the Talita. Understood?" _The pair agreed without complaints_. "The rest of you will pack everything and put it back on the Talita as soon as possible." _

"_Yes, Elbrith," _all the elves replied at once.

"_Meanwhile, I will think about how to deal with these creatures. You are all dismissed," _he finished like a general addressing his soldiers.

Eragon watched elves going back to their tasks quickly, starting packing whatever equipment they brought here. Most of it consisted of tables, tents and various crates placed around the area. His gaze turned to one of the tables, noticing several sheets of paper and various instruments used for cartography. It seemed they were not lounging around when he and Saphira were away, with that thought he made a mental note to share where the ruins of the town were with their cartographer. Despite the hurry, elves continued packing the camp with the typical grace of their kind. If they were humans, he would already hear swears left and right from people trying to hurry up one another. It seemed they'd put all of this on a small boat and take it back to the Talita. He was tempted to offer help but the stress of the earlier incident had tired him out significantly. Suddenly, he was snapped out from his thoughts as a voice of the golden Eldunari resounded in the bond.

"Eragon, Saphira," Glaedr began catching their attention, "I'm discussing with other elder Eldunarii how to tackle the new threat. Meanwhile, four of my friends will contact you soon to start a different kind of training I planned some time ago. I assigned two to each of you. Please, listen to what they have to say."

"Yes, Elbrith," they replied emotionlessly then Glaedr withdrew from their minds. What the new training he came up with Eragon wondered.

Shaking those thoughts aside he turned his attention back to one who still held him in her embrace. Saphira rocked him gently, moving her paw up and down slowly and in a comforting manner. He looked up at her, observing the sway on her muzzle as she kept an eye on what was going on around them in silence. The rider looked down and began rubbing her paw to calm his nerves. After a moment she reacted.

"_Little One?" _She curled her beautiful muzzle toward him, her voice betraying concern.

Absentmindedly, he cupped her muzzle, rubbing it gently with the thumb as she looked into his eyes and lingered at the border of his mind like she was afraid to enter. His sad eyes locked with her worried ones, then grabbed her soul without warning. Her eyes widened suddenly but then relax feeling her Little One in her mind.

"_Saphira…" _He left her grasp and wrapped his arms around her neck, putting her muzzle on his shoulder. His mind was a storm of emotions: happiness, worry, and hope. The dragoness felt something deeply trouble her Little One but she didn't want to put pressure on him, even though her draconic inquisitiveness tempted her to do so. He clenched his arms tighter around her neck like he was afraid if he let go, she would be gone.

"_My Little One…" _she spoke sweetly in his mind as she began nuzzling his neck tenderly,_ "…everything will be fine…" _The dragoness pulled back a little, allowing her to lick his neck with gentle strokes.

She felt his mind devolve into chaos with the last gesture, making her stop in her track momentarily. The rider was at the edge of giving in or pushing her away as his emotions began to boil; he couldn't control it at all. He hesitated, worrying feelings he wasn't entirely sure of himself would slip into her mind. Suddenly, he released her neck and walked away trying to find something to do to calm his nerves.

Saphira's heart clenched as he pushed her away. Her wings dropped loosely to her sides, and words were stuck in her mind as she felt iron walls forming around him. The dragoness let out a sad whimper, as she curled her tail around herself for comfort. Her ears tracked his steps, knowing that he decided to help elves to pack the camp and she was here, alone again.

After a moment she felt pressure around her mind and was about to raise all her mental barriers clumsily, but it came from her Eragon, though it wasn't him. She realised it must be one or two Eldunarii Glaedr mentioned… Unsure how to address them, she spoke up.

"_Greetings…" _

"_Hello Saphira Brightscales, I am Lathine and here is…" _the white Eldunari began with enthusiasm.

"_Jiorva…" a shy voice resounded in Saphira's mind. "Hello," the copper Eldunari came out from her hiding spot. _The blue dragoness tilted her muzzle with a bit of confusion hear such casual greetings.

"_Pleasure to meet you. Is there something you wish to discuss?" _

"_Yesterday, Master Glaedr assigned us and two other Eldunarii to tell you about the normal life of riders and dragons in the Old Order… " _Saphira got even more confused._ "I feel your confusion Saphira, but let me finish…" _Lathine said_. _

"_Glaedr-elda deemed it important to give you and your rider lessons about these matters to help you organise the new Order easier when the time came," _Jiorva finished with her quiet voice_._

"_So that is the training Glaedr-elda mentioned… Why do you bring it up now?" _Saphira felt quite lost at this moment between the new task at hand and the problem between her and her Little One.

"_Well, we thought it would help take your mind off the new problem while Glady is busy with Umaroth-elda, discussing what you discovered there…" _Her energetic voice paused _"Oops…" _

Saphira's jaw dropped hearing the name the Eldunarii used.

"_Forgive my friend, it was just a playful nickname we gave to Glaedr-elda when he used to train us. We were good friends," _Jiorva tried to save the situation in an embarrassed tone in her voice.

_"I see…" _the blue dragoness paused, feeling the tension across the bond_, "You said, 'we.' Were only two of you?" _Her interest started to emerge._  
"There were four of us, me, Jiorva, Jenve, and Tinath and our riders, Cayle, Ernis, Yorvik, Felicia respectively," _Lathine added in happy hum.

"_Where are Jenve and Tinath then?" _Saphira's tail swished to sides, observing steady progress on packing the camp.

"_They probably speak with your Eragon at this moment…" _the white Eldunari replied. At the mention of his name, Saphira clenched her eyes tightly, taking a sharp breath. Noticing her reaction Lathine felt sympathy for the blue dragoness, recalling her own rocky moments with her rider.

"_Go to him," _Jiorva said in her unusual firm voice, making Lathine gasp_. "Don't talk, just act. Show him you are interested…" W_ith the last word, she withdrew from their conversation. Saphira pulled her neck back in shock.

"_What are you talking about?!"_ The copper Eldunari hesitated to reply at first as though she was afraid. _"We've seen how he acts around you; believe me when I say he will not hold it against you."_

Saphira snapped her eyes toward her rider. He was carrying a large box toward a small boat with a few other elves.  
_"But… we shouldn't be…"_ She pawed dirt unsure.

"_Go on, he won't bite," _Lathine said warmly_. "Good luck!" _And she was gone.

…

While Saphira was speaking with the two female Eldunarii, Eragon busied himself with packing and carrying boxes to the boat. Elves proved to be quite efficient at work, and everyone knew what needed to be done without any questions. He worked in silence with them, trying to not pay attention to brooding dragoness nearby.

He lifted one of the heavier crates filled with maps and notes the Elves had made in along their journey to collect any information about the region. His eyes glimpsed at the dragoness who was visibly tense, with her tail curled around herself in a clear sign of distress. He and his lack of confidence… Ironic, the rider knew what to do regarding dealing with various enemies, but with matters of the heart, he was as clueless as a child. He turned his gaze away, walking past her. A deep sigh left his lips.

Eragon reached the boat at last and placed the box in carefully. Elves began the trip back to the camp but he decided to walk away a bit from the spot to think alone among the trees. Carefully, he sat at the bank of the river, looking far ahead of him toward calm waters deep in thoughts. Doubts about him and Saphira becoming more than a rider and a dragon began to fill his mind. He grabbed a flat rock and tossed, making bounce on the water surface before it sunk. He wanted her, deep inside he knew it to be true but his human side held him back during crucial moments. For the first time in his life he felt for certain she was worth breaking all societal norms to explore the taboo. He sat down, leaning forward and putting his elbows on his knees as deep breath left his lips.

After a few minutes, he felt gentle pressure at his mental barriers coming from the spot Eldunarii were kept. He lowered his barriers granting access.

"_Hello...?" _

"_Greetings Shadeslayer," a _melodic feminine voice flowed in his mind like gentle tide wave_ "My name is Jenve and here is my friend…" _Eragon got a mental picture of a black dragoness and then…

"_Tinath," _blue male dragon spoke up with a calm tone._ "A pleasure to meet you as well."_

"_How may I help you? Are you the Eldunarii that Glaedr mentioned today?" _

"_Actually, we are supposed to help you… but yes, we are," _the male continued uncertainly. Eragon thoughts went to the matter he contemplated just a moment ago, then shook his head brushing the thought aside.

"_How such a handsome dragon can be so shy at times_?" Jenve teased her friend as he let out_ "please drop it" _growl, making her giggle_. "What my friend tried to say was Glaedr-elda sent us to tell you about the Order before the fall and how normal life looked life for riders and dragons." _

"_You'd never drop this teasing?" _the blue dragon asked the female with thin hope.

"_Never..." _She replied with a seductive tone. Eragon fell silent listening to exchange between Eldunarii.

"_Forgive her, Shadeslayer. She has her… moments," he said, fumbling with his words. _

"_Oh, when I had my 'moments' your gaze wouldn't leave my scales." _A wave of embarrassment from the blue male flooded their mental connection, making Eragon feel as awkward as the male was probably.

"_I believe you were mates…" _the rider began_._

"_Nooo… Tinath found better and smaller… female than me… We were good friends so she was fine with me pushing his buttons from time to time," _Jenve we replied with teasing and mysterious tone at the same time.

Eragon tilted his head, curious why she made a pause before she said 'female,' then turned his attention to the male, raising his brow.

"_Ehm… Can we change the topic?" _Tinath replied in a pleading voice_. _

"_Yes, yes, the Order of old. Where shall I begin…" _Jenve gave the male some room to breathe.

"_Well, the new Order will be rebuilt from scratch thus every required room for classrooms, libraries, hatcheries and so on will have to be built. Glaedr-elda or Umaroth-elda could introduce you and Saphira to that aspect… You probably have documents about Doru Araeba which are really interesting to read… but…" _She paused, noticing the rider was lost in thoughts.

"_Is everything alright, Eragon?" _Tinath asked warmly_. _

"_No, not really." _Eragon grabbed another flat rock and tossed flat on the water surface.

Jenve connected dots, recalling shift of his attention when she mentioned his dragoness' name.

"_Sometimes it is better to listen to your heart. It usually knows what is right…"_ Jenvethen held her voice like she was distracted by something else._ "you are about to find it out yourself." _She_slowly withdrew from his mind with Tinath, leaving Eragon confused at the bank of the river.

He stared at the water, listening to the world around him as he thought about the ambiguous advice of the black dragoness. Suddenly, he heard the rustle of bushes on his right side, making him turn his head to the source. He was so preoccupied with the previous conversation he didn't notice her coming.

There Saphira was, standing between trees with her scales shining like gems in evening's sun. Her tail swung from side to side, showing signs of nervousness and anticipation. He looked at her from tips of paws' claws, through her chest and elegant curve of the neck to her beautiful muzzle. The sapphire eyes looked into his brown ones with tenderness and affection. As if on cue she walked up to him from behind, rolling her hips from side to side. The rider looked over his shoulder as she exposed her flank to him. Her body was slim, yet muscular, and she took every step with grace without turning her gaze away from him.

It seemed the dragoness began making a circle around him like she was showing off her beauty to her rider. She went in front of him; he could see the semitransparent membranes of her wings, muscles rippling beneath the scales of soft belly and powerful thighs. Saphira kept looking at Eragon, reading his body language. He was entranced with her display, and she hummed warmly.

She lowered herself to the ground with her chest right in front of him. Carefully, she twisted her body, reaching out with the right paw to hook it behind his back. Eragon sat there unable to move, with a mouth slightly agape. Seeing him entranced, the dragoness brought another paw to him as she rolled on her side, exposing her belly. With steady yet gentle hold she moved Little One closer to her. She curled her neck down, noticing him holding her arm to steady himself. He didn't say anything and it worried her.

As her chest met his back, the paws wrapped around him in a gentle hug. Her sensitive ears caught a sharp breath from the rider. Saphira slipped her muzzle under her wing as it moved above the pair to create their own little world where only the two of them mattered.

The deep pressure inside Eragon's chest made feel him ready to burst at any moment. His mind looked like a wild and forgotten forest with no clear path to safety - one wrong move and there would be unforeseen consequences for both of them. He clenched his palms over her paws as they moved up and down caressing him tenderly, his breath quickened. After a moment he heard her whisper calling him with a longing tone in her voice. It flowed in his mind like a gentle wave on a calm sea, reaching each corner of his soul.

Feeling a bit afraid the rider turned his gaze up and soon he met her brilliant sapphire eyes. It seemed the dark blue gleam with incomprehensible emotion he had not seen before. Her gaze darted around his face and soon soft croon left her muzzle, chittering to him in a soothing tone. The paw moved up over his chest and soon she could feel his strong heartbeat. Despite the close proximity of sharp claws hooked on his shoulder, he didn't feel threaten, but rather, the rider pressed his cheek into her paw, nuzzling it shyly.

Saphira's gaze softened further as she watched her Little One give in to her tender embrace. She gently moved her mind into his, slipping through his mental walls with ease. The female pushed his darkening thoughts aside carefully as she curled her neck as far as she could to touch his forehead. The wet and smooth tongue touched his skin, giving him calming lick. She could feel his own arms wrapping around hers tighter like they didn't want to let her go.

A stifled sob left the mouth of the rider as he clenched his eyes as he fought back tears. With a staggering voice, he spoke at last.

"Saphira…" He couldn't stop the tears anymore as they ran down his face. After a moment his partner-of-mind-and-heart replied with voice melting his heart.

"My Little One…"

**The author's note:**

**Hello dear readers, I apologise for fairly long delay in posting this chapter. I had a writing block around August/September and only by the end of September I finished the rough draft of this chapter. Then my University term began and had no time to edit this chapter properly. Due to studies being a priority it can be possible I would need 2 months or so to write one chapter.**

**All in all, I hope the content in chapter 5 would be worth the wait for you. Let me know what you think in reviews, I am looking forward to reading them! :)**

**Special thanks to my friend The Vilified and Mark for beta reading and editing :)**

**Have a nice day.**

**UPDATE 25****th**** of October 2019.:**

**I uploaded better edited version of the chapter, fixing remaining grammar problems.**


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